Featured Audience Ratings

• Emil K

  
  Once again auteur James Gray succeeds with this very dark and elegant Brooklyn set drama/romance. After the effective crime-trilogy which inlcuded Little Odessa, The Yards and We Own the Night, this seems to be natural continuum for those films with it's leisurely pace, moody… More
  Once again auteur James Gray succeeds with this very dark and elegant Brooklyn set drama/romance. After the effective crime-trilogy which inlcuded Little Odessa, The Yards and We Own the Night, this seems to be natural continuum for those films with it's leisurely pace, moody portrait of a city and deeply troubled protagonist . But while those films operated more in the world of crime, Two Lovers is a film that exists more in the lead character's wounded psyche. Joaquin Phoenix's performance as a man torn between two women is easily his most assured work to date. What surprises here even more is the performance of Gwyneth Paltrow. Her unsure and unbalanced young lady is her best work to date. That charming seductive charisma she brings to every scene she is in, is something that we are not used to see from her. There is something very elegant in the way Gray directs his films and he truly seems to be one of those rare directors that does not have anykind of necessity to use needless visual trickery. The magic he has as a director and a storyteller is something that not so many other directors have. It is the magic of a sleeping city and poetry of quiet moments. Two Lovers is in many ways Gray's best work to date and stands as a touching and important film about love and the loss of it. It is a film about choices we make and the consequences they bring along.

• Jennifer X

  
  A very schizophrenic movie. As in, I loved the parts with Gwyneth Paltrow, hated the parts with that other chick.

• paul s

  
  examines what love is, or more precisely, what we THINK love is. Two Lovers features Juaquin Phoenix as a damaged soul (now there's a stretch, based on what has happened to him since this film) who, while barely coping with life (he was dealt a raw deal concerning his former… More
  examines what love is, or more precisely, what we THINK love is. Two Lovers features Juaquin Phoenix as a damaged soul (now there's a stretch, based on what has happened to him since this film) who, while barely coping with life (he was dealt a raw deal concerning his former fiance)meets up with two diametrically opposed women; one, who his Jewish family is pushing on him, wants to protect and "cure" him, while the other, in a daring performance by Gwyneth Paltrow, is just as damaged and even more needy than Phoenix. The story ark is familiar, and yet it works well here, due to Phoenix's odd and somehow detached performance; charming one moment and yet a ghost of a man who lives with his parents in others. The scenes with Paltrow and Phoenix together, especially those that take place on the building's roof, shot as though you are an easdropper, with walls in the way as the charactors move about, are sizzling. The cinematography throughout is wonderful and moody, with nice lighting touches as when Phoenix and Paltrow converse from their rooms across an alleyway. The ending scenes holds enough suspense that, even if you seriously suspect what's coming, the way in which it is presented will satisfy you. Now some may find the resolution of the film disquieting (I know I did), but really, it fits the charactor, and is honest to the film and all that has come before, however distasteful you might find it. Again, what is love? Is it mutual need? Perhaps. This film certainly let's you ponder the conundrum.

• Dean M

  
  Joaquin Phoenix's performance is superb in this drama film. There is something profoundly moving and profoundly truthful here and I'm sure it has to do with Phoenix's portrayal. Gwyneth Paltrow is wonderful as the girl walking an emotional tightrope. And Vinessa Shaw is… More
  Joaquin Phoenix's performance is superb in this drama film. There is something profoundly moving and profoundly truthful here and I'm sure it has to do with Phoenix's portrayal. Gwyneth Paltrow is wonderful as the girl walking an emotional tightrope. And Vinessa Shaw is a real find. I was also moved by Isabella Rossellini as Joaquin's mother! Beautiful and intense but unlike many of her contemporaries not "cosmetic" A real extraordinary face. In fact she looks more like her mother Ingrid Bergman now than she ever did.

• Carlos M

  
  This deeply involving romantic drama is a fascinating character study crafted with sophisticated direction, and it presents great performances and a wonderful melancholic story that grabbed me completely from the very first minute to the last.

• Jose Z

  
  Two Lovers is A Brooklyn-set romantic drama about a bachelor (Phoenix) torn between the family friend his parents wish he would marry and his beautiful but volatile new neighbor. It is a movie about how love sometimes make you feel miserable. The movie is really interesting, you can… More
  Two Lovers is A Brooklyn-set romantic drama about a bachelor (Phoenix) torn between the family friend his parents wish he would marry and his beautiful but volatile new neighbor. It is a movie about how love sometimes make you feel miserable. The movie is really interesting, you can feel the tension and the anxiety from the character performed by Joaquin Phoenix. It follows a slow pace rhythm but it never falls into boredom. The locations are really good because they shew you a New York that not everybody knows. The cast is wonderful Joaquin Phoenix is excellent, he delivers a very credible performance, Gwyneth Paltrow is awesome, this role fits her really good, Isabella Rosellini as Phoenix mother is delightful and Vinessa Shaw as Sandra is also great. In conclusion, Two Lovers is a movie worthy of a chance to see.

• Bruce B

  
  Outstanding Movie, Joaquin Phoenix plays part of a Bachelor who is recovering from a suicide attempt after his fiancée ran off before his wedding, so he lives at home with his Mom and Dad, Depression is a major part of his life until he finds a friend in a business partner of his… More
  Outstanding Movie, Joaquin Phoenix plays part of a Bachelor who is recovering from a suicide attempt after his fiancée ran off before his wedding, so he lives at home with his Mom and Dad, Depression is a major part of his life until he finds a friend in a business partner of his Dad's and then a person living in the apartment across from him comes into the picture, so now he is torn between two lovers, The one he want's and the one that want's him. Excellent story, but you will have to watch to see who he chooses. 5 Stars

• Dan S

  
  An involving, touching romantic drama that effectively captures the pain, guilt, and sorrow some people hold in their past and how it affects their present-day life. Phoenix, as always, is terrific in a story that is centered around him, as his love for one girl (Gwyneth Paltrow)… More
  An involving, touching romantic drama that effectively captures the pain, guilt, and sorrow some people hold in their past and how it affects their present-day life. Phoenix, as always, is terrific in a story that is centered around him, as his love for one girl (Gwyneth Paltrow) forces him to stray away from a realistic and promising future with another (Vinessa Shaw). Emotionally heavy, with an unpredictable ending that I for one didn't see coming. Hopefully this isn't Joaquin's last movie, this film alone shows that he is a tremendous actor.

• Coxxie M

  
  what a beautiful surprising movie. Joaquin is amazing. i heard a rumor that hes retiring or something and that would really suck. Gwyneth Paltrow is really good like she usually is and Elias Koteas is one of the best supporting actors around, yet he is almost like the invisible man to… More
  what a beautiful surprising movie. Joaquin is amazing. i heard a rumor that hes retiring or something and that would really suck. Gwyneth Paltrow is really good like she usually is and Elias Koteas is one of the best supporting actors around, yet he is almost like the invisible man to the public. Vinessa Shaw gets hotter every year. ok back to the movie though. Joaquin plays an awkward reclusive i want to say autistic man but i dont know. maybe hes autistic in real life, in which case im an asshole for saying that. this is one of the most realistic lovestories ive seen in a while. it plays like life. the writers didnt sit down and say "what ironic quirky line could he say here" its not trying to impress with over-the-top indie-ness. it just tries to be a good film.

• Adam M

  
  Both leads mix good and bad acting; the script takes shortcuts and Phoenix and each girl have sex before really laying the groundwork for making a move. With the melodrama, pregnant silences and facial angst, it's kind of like a James Mangold film but quickly written and less… More
  Both leads mix good and bad acting; the script takes shortcuts and Phoenix and each girl have sex before really laying the groundwork for making a move. With the melodrama, pregnant silences and facial angst, it's kind of like a James Mangold film but quickly written and less ponderous. Whatever the cast and filmmakers try, the attempt feel sincere even if it fails, so that any 3 minutes of film seem careful and unpretentious. The director subtly mixes placid, classical storytelling with some unshowy New-Wavish street shots. And he plays with comic setups for meaningful commentary on the characters. The movie's most believable aspect is its philosophic one, which comes out of interactions between the characters that are entirely believable. Each main character falls in love based on their sense of their weaknesses, of what would give their life new and complete meaning and strength, make them born again. And it's also a story of what it means to grow up, of a character in suspended adolescence having to surrender the self's amorphous dreams to the world that expects you. Maybe it's the tragic twin of Elaine May's Heartbreak Kid.

• Manu G

  
  Pretty good movie. Very good acting from Joaquin Phoenix. Leonard Kraditor is a burned-out case, living with his immigrant parents after his fiancée left him, helping out at their Brooklyn dry cleaners, taking photographs, at loose ends, suicidal. In quick succession, he meets two… More
  Pretty good movie. Very good acting from Joaquin Phoenix. Leonard Kraditor is a burned-out case, living with his immigrant parents after his fiancée left him, helping out at their Brooklyn dry cleaners, taking photographs, at loose ends, suicidal. In quick succession, he meets two women: Sarah, the daughter of his parents' business associates, frank, direct, sensual, Jewish like Leonard; and, his neighbor Michelle, mercurial, rootless, fun, blond, unattainable. Michelle is in love with a married man and cries on Leonard's shoulder; Sarah wants to save him. Is Leonard willing to risk losing Sarah's fidelity for the moments Michelle's moods swing toward him? Can this end well?

• Curtis L

  
  Lately most movies have bored me to tears, an although this idea's been done many times before, it effectively captured my interest. Great characters, and even though Joaquin's character is kinda crappy, you really just want the best things for him and to have it all work… More
  Lately most movies have bored me to tears, an although this idea's been done many times before, it effectively captured my interest. Great characters, and even though Joaquin's character is kinda crappy, you really just want the best things for him and to have it all work out.

• Emile T

  
  Pretty impressive movie from James Gray, who did a really great job. <br/> <br/>Joaquin Phoenix was exceptionnal, as always. He ended his career beautifully. Nice to see Gwyneth Paltrow's performance too. <br/> <br/>Overall, I didn't expect… More
  Pretty impressive movie from James Gray, who did a really great job. <br/> <br/>Joaquin Phoenix was exceptionnal, as always. He ended his career beautifully. Nice to see Gwyneth Paltrow's performance too. <br/> <br/>Overall, I didn't expect much from this movie, and it turned out to be a very pleasant surprise.

• Gordon A

  
  Hardly original but sleek and engaging romantic drama. I found the New York jewish setting tiresome but Phoenix repays Gray's fascination with him with another solid performance. Some of the plot points seemed unbelievable and the ending in particular felt contrived.

• Mark H

  
  Melancholy romantic drama about suicidal, socially awkward Leonard who is torn between the sensible, attractive daughter of a family friend, who loves him and the lively, but self destructive, next door neighbor he is drawn to. Moody character driven film is rather soporific at… More
  Melancholy romantic drama about suicidal, socially awkward Leonard who is torn between the sensible, attractive daughter of a family friend, who loves him and the lively, but self destructive, next door neighbor he is drawn to. Moody character driven film is rather soporific at times, but is ultimately grounded by the performances, particularly actress Vinessa Shaw who is nicely understated as the likable Sandra. Film marks the 3rd time director James Gray and Joaquin Phoenix have worked together.

• Chris G

  
  You know that kid in high school that is obsessed with the unattainable girl that he'll never get in a million years, yet he keeps trying and somewhere in his mind he's getting close to attaining her affections, yet there is a wonderful girl in the wings ready to be his one?… More
  You know that kid in high school that is obsessed with the unattainable girl that he'll never get in a million years, yet he keeps trying and somewhere in his mind he's getting close to attaining her affections, yet there is a wonderful girl in the wings ready to be his one? That's essentially what Two Lovers is about. Joaquin Phoenix plays a suicidal neighbor to Gweneth Paltrow's neighbor who is in love with a married lawyer in the firm she works for. Leonard (Phoenix) slowly develops a relationship Michelle (Paltrow) as she continues to lead a rough road that includes drugs, her disastrous relationship, and here need for Leonard as a crutch. Meanwhile Leonard is in a relationship with Vanissa (Sandra Cohen) the daughter of the man who is going to take over his fathers dry cleaning business. The relationship blossoms when Leonard realizes that he'll never have Michelle, but that all changes with a cell phone ringing. Two Lovers is predictable as hell. This thing wouldn't have been more predictable if I had written the damn thing. There are no curve balls or twists in this one- you see where its headed by the half way point. Too bad the entire thing is dull as hell. Leonard's life doesn't come of as pathetic, he's creepy. I can see that they were going for two pathetic characters getting together, but it just doesn't work because Phoenix and Paltrow have as much chemistry as oil and water. They just don't work together. Who am I kidding, the entire movie doesn't really gel. It's one big, dull mess that just drives you to screaming for the ending that we all know is coming anyway. It may sound like a marquee pair up but you may want to pass on this pathetic, cliched, sentimental film.

• Lewis C

  
  Wow, I haven't seen very many subdued, slow-paced dramas like this. There's no stereotypical happy ending, no absurd plot-devices to keep the characters on the paths that they would follow on a more mainstream movie, and the characters actually seem to be three-dimensional… More
  Wow, I haven't seen very many subdued, slow-paced dramas like this. There's no stereotypical happy ending, no absurd plot-devices to keep the characters on the paths that they would follow on a more mainstream movie, and the characters actually seem to be three-dimensional instead of dry caricatures. As realistic and refreshing as the Two Lovers is in some ways, it also manages to be a bit glacial and boring at times. I appreciate the reasons behind this, but that doesn't completely excuse these faults in my eyes. Joaquin Phoenix and his two female co-stars do a wonderful acting jobs, and I was pretty satisfied with how the whole story played out. This isn't necessarily a feel-good story, but by the end of the movie I felt that things were actually better for Joaquin's character. I wouldn't recommend this to everyone, but anyone with patience and a hunger for a less mainstream take on adult relationships might enjoy this.

• Alice S

  
  Starts off as a promising zany-girl-saves-introverted-guy story, but then it degenerates into cliche "I'm too fucked up for you to love me" drivel. The dialogue preceding the improbable rooftop sex scene is utterly banal and uninspired. Why does Leonard love Michelle… More
  Starts off as a promising zany-girl-saves-introverted-guy story, but then it degenerates into cliche "I'm too fucked up for you to love me" drivel. The dialogue preceding the improbable rooftop sex scene is utterly banal and uninspired. Why does Leonard love Michelle anyway? Is it merely because she's beautiful? She doesn't seem to have any other redeeming qualities. Is it merely because Leonard has an addictive personality? The motivation needs to be set up properly. The ending (after the beach scene) is excellent - reminiscent of a Woody Allen drama, but alas, what comes before just doesn't bring anything new to the table.

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"You're the most beautiful, amazing woman ever."</i> A Brooklyn-set romantic drama about a bachelor (Phoenix) torn between the family friend his parents wish he would marry and his beautiful but volatile new neighbor. <center><font size=+2… More
  <i>"You're the most beautiful, amazing woman ever."</i> A Brooklyn-set romantic drama about a bachelor (Phoenix) torn between the family friend his parents wish he would marry and his beautiful but volatile new neighbor. <center><font size=+2 face="Verdana"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> This is an outstanding movie. I believed in the characters, all of whom were presented sympathetically - unique for a movie like this. The characters are not stereotypes, and behave in ways that while natural are not expected. It is also a very romantic movie. The acting is excellent. In particular Joaquin Phoenix is terrific. He plays what should be an impossible role - instead, he is completely natural and right. The actress who plays the mother is perfect - and the character is also a remarkable one. The movie really stayed with me - in a good way. I thought about it for a long time after it was over. I recommend it very highly.

• Tim S

  
  I really hope that the whole "I want to be a rapper" is a hoax because Joaquin Pheonix is outstanding in this film. All in all the entire cast is really good and that is what is so frustrating about the film. I guess my biggest problem was that I just didn't understand… More
  I really hope that the whole "I want to be a rapper" is a hoax because Joaquin Pheonix is outstanding in this film. All in all the entire cast is really good and that is what is so frustrating about the film. I guess my biggest problem was that I just didn't understand some the main character's choices. I know that the sense of adventure that Paltrow brought to his life was hard to turn away, but when you have something as beautiful and cool as Shaw seemed to be, I just don't know why you would want to put up with the hassle and baggage. That paired with the fact that the movie went down a pretty generic road also left me wanting more. The film overall looks amazing (I will give Gray that, I love the way he shoots his films), but I just couldn't get into it as much as I wanted to once I saw where it was headed.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings