In Two Lovers, Joaquin Phoenix plays Leonrard, an awkward, lumpish and directionless bachelor who lives with his parents in Brooklyn. He falls in love with his wild, needy and self-centred neighbour Michelle, while on the other hand conforming to his familial duty to propose to Sandra, the stable daughter of his father's business associate.
I've never been much of a fan of the icy regal Gwyneth Paltrow, but for the first time for me she was able to display a warmer side which was believable and endeared me to her bad-news character. Vinessa Shaw added some depth to Sandra who could have easily been the cardboard cutout of the perfect Jewish princess daughter-in-law. As for Joaquin Phoenix, he announced recently that Two Lovers would be his last film as he was going to concentrate on his career as a rapper (!). A shame really, as he is pretty good at the acting game. I can acknowledge this fact even though since his turn as Emperor Commodus in Gladiator, I've not been able to watch his sneering upper lip on screen without my skin crawling.
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
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