The premise of this film surely does it no favors. It sounds very much like a standard type of narrative when it's actually not. The way the film progresses in unexpected ways and it never feels forced or contrived. The performances are a testament to how natural it feels, but the screenplay is quite strong as well. Tracy Letts and Debra Winger are both very resonant and vulnerable when they need to be and they hit the various notes of the film in a pitch perfect way throughout. Someone else might have made this a complete melodrama and overblown but the film is anything but. This is highly recommended.
Review of The Lovers
