You Can Count on Me

 

You Can Count on Me 2000

• Director: Kenneth Lonergan
• Seen by this director: Manchester by the Sea
• Based on the book: no
• Cast: Laura Linney, Mark Ruffalo, Mathhew Broderick, Rory Culkin, Jon Tenney, Kenneth Lonergan
• Personal “oh yeah him/her” reaction, i.e. have seen this actor in:
• Laura Linney – Genius, Jindabyne, Driving Lessons, The Squid and the Whale, Love Actually, Mystic River, The Life of David Gale, The Truman Show, Dave, Lorenzo’s Oil
• Mark Ruffalo – Spotlight, Now You See Me, Thanks for Sharing, Avengers, Shutter Island, The Kids Are All Right, Reservation RoadEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
• Matthew Broderick - Manchester by the Sea, Then She Found Me, The Music Man
• Rory Culkin – Igby Goes Down
• Jon Tenney
• Kenneth Lonergan – Detachment, Splice, Cadillac Records, Darjeeling Limited, King Kong, The Village, The Pianist, Bread and Roses, Liberty Heights
• Why? Mark Ruffalo
• Seen: 9 February 2024 

       Sammy (Linney) and Terry (Ruffalo) were children when their parents died in a car crash. Sammy is now a single mother working in a bank with a new boss (Broderick) who demands that she stops playing hooky from work to pick up her son Rudy (Culkin) from school. Terry (Ruffalo) is a drifter, recently out of jail. He comes for a visit. Sammy is delighted until she learns about the jail time and realises that Terry just wants money.

       He stays, though, and befriends Rudy. Clashes between the siblings start immediately. They love each other but their different life styles drive each other crazy.

       It seems that everyone loves this film, even the critics. Except me. I find it banal, small town white America. I like Ruffalo very much and he puts life into this stereotypical ne’er-do-well-but-loveable guy. Linney. Not my fave. She smiles too much.

       Sorry, just too trite for me. 

2 ½ * of 5