Lonesome Jim (2005)

60% of critics liked it
(89 reviews)
41% of users liked it
(21,808 ratings)

A less than auspicious homecoming for an introspective artist sets the stage for this low-key comedy drama directed by Steve Buscemi. Jim (Casey Affleck) is a chronically glum aspiring novelist who, after a failed two-year sojourn in New York City, has returned home to his parents' home in Goshen,… More A less than auspicious homecoming for an introspective artist sets the stage for this low-key comedy drama directed by Steve Buscemi. Jim (Casey Affleck) is a chronically glum aspiring novelist who, after a failed two-year sojourn in New York City, has returned home to his parents' home in Goshen, IN. Jim's folks, Don (Seymour Cassel) and Sally (Mary Kay Place), run a ladder factory, a family business Jim wants nothing to do with. His older brother, Tim (Kevin Corrigan), is also living at home, and has problems of his own after his marriage ended in divorce and his business went broke. When Tim makes the latest of a number of suicide attempts by driving into a tree, Jim is reintroduced to Anika (Liv Tyler), a nurse who had a one-night fling with Jim a while ago. Jim and Anika strike up a conversation and start seeing one another again, though she seems to have feelings for Tim as well. With Tim in the hospital, Jim is persuaded against his better judgment to take on some of his brother's responsibilities, including doing some work at the ladder factory. At work, he bonds with his uncle Stacy (Mark Boone Jr.), who prefers to use the nickname "Evil" and deals drugs on the job. Jim's attempts to help Uncle Stacy with his side business backfire and implicate his parents, with Sally ending up in jail. But between his budding relationship with Anika and coaching a kids' basketball team that includes Tim's daughters, Jim begins to cautiously consider the notion that life might be worth all the trouble. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 31 min.
Directed By: Steve Buscemi
Written By: James C. Strouse
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: Mar 24, 2006 Wide
On DVD: Aug 9, 2006
Studio: IFC Films

Critic Reviews

Peter Howell, Toronto Star
Manages to be bitter, dispiriting and utterly pointless all at once.
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail
It all feels very slight.
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
Affleck plays this as a one-note turn, all dour. What a life-force like Anika would see in him is a mystery.
Ty Burr, Boston Globe
The problem is that a little of this minimalist kitchen-sink farce goes a very long way, and after a while Lonesome Jim starts to dry up.
Bob Longino, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A slight, but amusing and occasionally touching, dark comedy about depression and dysfunction that percolates with indie film hipness.
Tom Long, Detroit News
The biggest problem Buscemi has is that his central character has, by definition, very little distinct character.
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion
An unintentional parody of Sundance Hades circa 1996
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
"Lonesome Jim" is an earnest and modest 'little independent' movie that charms by way of its understated underachieving characters.
James Mottram, Film4
Minimalist, moody and morose, Lonesome Jim is a minor gem.
Nev Pierce, Total Film
The world would be a better place if Steve Buscemi made more movies.
Paul Arendt, BBC
Steve Buscemi's third film as a director is a low key affair delivered with a wry sense of humour.
Tim Evans, Sky Movies
It's poignant, quietly life-affirming little story that doesn't need to shout. Lonesome Jim's good company.
, Time Out
Though this clash of picket-fenced, down-home values and big city oafishness was handled with a little more delicacy in 2005's superb 'Junebug', Buscemi's film has lots to say about this fruitful dynamic.
Christopher Campbell, Cinematical
Has great relevance to the lost adultolescent generation of today ... but it also flounders in its commonplace and too-familiar concept.
Kam Williams, Weekly Press
A depressing illustration of how even Middle America has ended up marginalized and rudderless in the wake of outsourcing, downsizing and globalization.
Jon Frosch, Film Journal International
As the credits started to roll, I came to a pleasant and all-too-rare moviegoing realization: The smile that had crept across my face during the very first scene had never left.
James Plath, Reel.com
If this film were hooked up to a heart monitor, it would register as a straight line. The most energetic and emotive blips occur when Boone, Jr. and Place are onscreen.
Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine
Casey Affleck is better than Lonesome Jim but Lonesome Jim is leagues better than Elizabethtown.
Jack Garner, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
Its title character is such a lifeless loser, you wish Moonstruck's Cher was around to slap him hard and yell, 'Snap out of it!'

Read all 19 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Nicki M

I had low expectations on this one, so I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised. Similar in tone to Buffalo 66, this deals with people who don't quite fit in, and while the plot is small, it has a lasting impact. Liked it a lot.
♥˩ƳИИ &

Casey Affleck, Liv Tyler, Mary Kay Place, Jake La Botz, Kevin Corrigan DIRECTED BY: Steve Buscemi Jim begrudgingly returns to his hometown in rural Indiana after failing to make it on his own in New York. He soon remembers why he left: a doting but overbearing mother, a distant… More
Casey Affleck, Liv Tyler, Mary Kay Place, Jake La Botz, Kevin Corrigan DIRECTED BY: Steve Buscemi Jim begrudgingly returns to his hometown in rural Indiana after failing to make it on his own in New York. He soon remembers why he left: a doting but overbearing mother, a distant father, and a depressed older brother whose "accidents" seem suspect at best. Jim is soon forced to take on his brother's duties -- working at his parent's factory and helping out with his two rambunctious nieces. Crippled by obligations and anxieties, Jim trudges on though every day monotones and the family's collapse after mom is mistakenly taken for a suburban drug smuggler. Almost miraculously, hope springs from his developing relationship with a local nurse and her young son, and Jim slowly learns to move forward without leaving anyone behind. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This movie tells a real story of depression and the struggles it brings along with it. Casey Affleck's character Jim is a really sad character. You can just feel the weight of despair coming from him. Casey gives a great performance as Jim. Liv Tyler's character Anika was like Jim's happy pill. She is what he needs to bring him back alive out of his 'chronic despair'. It was a good movie. Not for most. But after seeing Casey in Gone Baby Gone, I wanted to see him in other roles and that's when I came across this one. I think he has amazing acting skills. Plus I LOVE indie films. They in my opinion, are the most interesting and honest movies made.
Conner R

I felt like the experimental film style is what made this movie good. The script is so-so, it got a little predictable and became sort of like Garden State. The acting was mediocre, a lot of the characters were played lazy and bitter rather than depressed. I think the overall meaning… More
I felt like the experimental film style is what made this movie good. The script is so-so, it got a little predictable and became sort of like Garden State. The acting was mediocre, a lot of the characters were played lazy and bitter rather than depressed. I think the overall meaning of the movie is non-existent, it doesn't say anything or mean anything. It seems like they just got a bunch of weird situations thrown together.
Walter M

[font=Century Gothic]"Lonesome Jim" starts with Jim(Casey Affleck) returning to Cromwell, In after a failed attempt at being a writer in New York, and a more successful one at being a dogwalker and chain restaurant worker. His parents(Mary Kay Place and Seymour Cassel) are… More
[font=Century Gothic]"Lonesome Jim" starts with Jim(Casey Affleck) returning to Cromwell, In after a failed attempt at being a writer in New York, and a more successful one at being a dogwalker and chain restaurant worker. His parents(Mary Kay Place and Seymour Cassel) are of course very pleased to see him again, welcoming him back into their home. They own a factory where Jim's brother, Tim(Kevin Corrigan), single father of two girls and coach of the worst basketball team in Indiana history, works. One night at a bar, Jim meets and has sex with Anika(Liv Tyler), a nurse, which comes in handy when Tim drives his car into a tree...[/font] [font=Century Gothic]"Lonesome Jim" returns director Steve Buscemi to some of the same psychological terrain as his debut, "Trees Lounge", but with a much better visual eye this time. This is an amusing film about very serious subjects, depression and suicide, and it manages to balance the various elements satisfactorily into a slightly odd whole. It is also concerned with the need for people to make the best out of a terrible situation, which Anika has the knack for, but Jim and Tim are failing at. And Liv Tyler seems to be making a pretty good career out of starring opposite various members of the Affleck clan. [/font]
Leo L

An interesting movie with a good story plot. This is a story about a man who comes home and is deeply set in depression. He meets a single mother who enables him to think of the positive side of things, despite his unwillingness to do so. As he is distraught over the turmoil of his… More
An interesting movie with a good story plot. This is a story about a man who comes home and is deeply set in depression. He meets a single mother who enables him to think of the positive side of things, despite his unwillingness to do so. As he is distraught over the turmoil of his family, he realizes there is much more to stability and family than what appears to be so. Above all, his disassociation is measured in terms of his favorite authors and thus sees his efforts as failures and broken dreams. Great cast- Casey Affleck, Liv Tyler, Kevin Corrigan, and Mary Kay Place. Definitely worthy.
Stefan P

Was stunned to see that so few people have seen this movie and how low the overall grade is. It's a depressing, but very funny, movie and if you look deeper it has a very good message. Casey Affleck and Liv Tyler performs very well and has the chemistry. Highly recommended!
FanGirl B

A very real and depressing slice of life film.