Release: Now available on DVD
Duration: 110 minutes
Rating: M (coarse language and sex scenes)

In Woody Allen’s most recent film, Vicky Christina Barcelona, the Spanish artist Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem) affectionately quotes his ex-wife’s ideals about love and romance: “only unfulfilled love can be romantic.” There is much in Allen’s beautiful sentiment that resonates with James Gray’s wonderful new film, Two Lovers.

The shy, reticient young Leonard Kraditor (Joaquin Phoenix) is still reeling over the break-down of his engagement. As he slowly retires from life, two women enter his life; his beautiful neighbour Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow), who is in the middle of a long-term affair with a married colleague, and the beautiful, sweet Sandra (Vinessa Shaw), the daughter of a potential business partner.

The synopsis might not sound all that inspiring, but this is really terrific stuff from the talented American filmmaker. Gray delights in taking the horiest of storytelling archetypes (Two Lovers is based on on Dostoevsky's White Nights) and infuses these types with an intense, bruising honesty about the human condition. If We Own the Night was a commercial crime drama marked by “big” action setpieces, this is a quietly wistful and absorbing human drama. Two Lovers is a much lighter and better work for its lack of pretension, completely stripped of his previous contrivances

As a director, Gray clearly knows a lot about filmmaking (Two Lovers is beautifully photographed), but, as a writer, he shows a deep, thoughtful understanding of life. I particularly admired the way the film wraps itself around its characters. Free from the excesses of sub-Allen neurosis employed by less talented screenwriters, Gray has crafted a classically-written love story in which the characters’ hidden desires and internal emotional worlds unravel in believable human interaction.

Nobody suggests emotional turmoil and fractured psychology quite like Phoenix, who has done so very effectively in performances as disparate as Walk the Line, Gray’s previous The Yards and Gladiator. Phoenix gives a subtly implosive performance and so nails that sweet, sensitive young man who is just that little bit too intense. He also proves to be a very fine comedian and balances the absurdity and humanity of his character beautifully; he is still sneaking out of the house like a rebellious teenager whilst he experiences genuine heartbreak over the breakdown of a very loving engagement.

This is also really terrific work from Paltrow, as well. Together with her strong work opposite Robert Downey Jr. in Iron Man, her performance marks a solid return to form. Additionally, Shaw is really lovely as the homely Jewish girl with a big heart whilst the other performances very effectively give this little film its beautiful interior quality.

Andrew Moraitis