YOU CAN COUNT ON ME
2000

February 24, 2001

AMC Saratoga

-->Written and Directed by.....Kenneth Lonergan [Analyze This]
-->Cinematography by.....Stephen Kazmierski [Listen Up: The Lives Of Quincy Jones, The Myth Of Fingerprints, Happiness]
-->Samantha Prescott.....Laura Linney [Lorenzo's Oil, Dave, Searching For Bobby Fisher, Tales Of The City, Primal Fear, Absolute Power, The Truman Show, Maze]
-->Terry Prescott.....Mark Ruffalo
-->Brian Everett.....Matthew Broderick [WarGames, Ferris Buehler's Day Off, Project X, Biloxi Blues, Torch Song Trilogy, She's Having A Baby, Glory, Family Business, The Freshman, The Night We Never Met, Mrs. Parker And The Vicious Circle, The Cable Guy, Addicted To Love, Godzilla, Election]
-->Bob Stegerson.....Jon Tenney [Mr. Terry Hatcher, Equal Justice, Guilty By Suspicion, Tombstone, Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home, Fools Rush In, Brooklyn South, Homegrown]

Two grown orphans are reunited in their upstate New York hometown, when the brother visits the sister.

Absolutely fantastic story of siblings who after more than 30 years, still cannot spend any amount of time together before arguing. Linney plays a single mother who works at a bank and is looking for love without commitment. Her brother is played in pitch-perfect slackerness by Mark Ruffalo. The sister is a go-getter, the brother moves around from job to job in state after state. They've both adapted to their parents' deaths the only way they know how. Linney's son is played by still another Culkin kid who is way too good for his age. (What the hell is in the Culkin's water supply?).

The interaction between the two siblings is honest and realistic. Neither one is perfect. They both offer something that the other wishes they had. They are at first polite to each other, but then old habits come back and they assume the roles they've had all their lives. The town in which they grew up is nothing short of spectacular. It's green and everyone knows everyone else. Terry couldn't wait to leave the town when he was growing up and he suggests to Samantha's son that he do the same. The scenes between Terry and his nephew, in which he treats him as a man, instead of the 12 year old he is, are priceless.

I can't say enough about this one. It is great from start to finish. There doesn't seem to be a false note in it and it is surprisingly full of humor. The two performances of the leads are flawless. Broderick is in another one of his terrific supporting roles. Go see it.

Praise:
~~Best Picture: Broadcast Film Critics, Chicago Film Critics Nomination, Sundance Grand Jury Prize
~~Best Director for Ken Lonergan: Boston Society of Film Critics
~~Best Original Screenplay for Ken Lonergan: Academy Award Nomination, Chicago Film Critics Nomination, Golden Globe Nomination, Independent Spirit Award Nomination, Los Angeles Film Critics, National Society of Film Critics, New York Film Critics, Online Film Critics Society Nomination, Sundance Waldo Salt Award, Writers Guild Nomination
~~Best Actor for Mark Ruffalo: Chicago Film Critics Nomination, Independent Spirit Award Nomination
~~Best Actress for Laura Linney: Academy Award Nomination, Chicago Film Critics Nomination, Golden Globe Nomination, Independent Spirit Award Nomination, National Society of Film Critics, New York Film Critics, Online Film Critics Society Nomination, Screen Actors Guild Nomination