Love Is Strange (John Lithgow, Alfred Molina, Marisa Tomei)

                                   "Heartbreaking…Exceptionally Beautiful.   

                                            One of the Best Films of the Year

                                        – Dennis Dermody, Paper Magazine”

  

 After nearly four decades together, Ben (John Lithgow) and George (Alfred Molina) finally tie the knot in an idyllic wedding ceremony in lower Manhattan. But when George loses his job soon after, the couple must sell their apartment and - victims of the relentless New York City real estate market - temporarily live apart until they can find an affordable new home. While George moves in with two cops (Cheyenne Jackson and Manny Perez) who live down stairs, Ben lands in Brooklyn with his nephew (Darren Burrows), his wife (Marisa Tomei), and their temperamental teenage son (Charlie Tahan), with whom Ben shares a bunk bed. While struggling with the pain of separation, Ben and George are further challenged by the intergenerational tensions and capricious family dynamics of their new living arrangements. Written by Sony Pictures Classics

 

It’s been a while since I fell in love with a movie's soundtrack as much as the movie itself, but that is what happened to me with "Love is Strange".  Lithgow and Molina played off the music with perfection.  The love and fear in the characters eyes was in perfect harmony with each background piece.  

John Lithgow was an absolute joy to watch - such vulnerability - such love - he really impressed.  Molina gave an outstanding performance as well. Lithgow's Ben seemed frail and optimistic, to which Molina's George seemed more aware of the mountains they were facing.    Marisa Tomei doesn't disappoint (but she never disappoints me - I'm a big fan) 

On the downside, I was disappointed in the performance of Darren Burroughs - an actor hailing from Kansas who I really wanted to love (I was a big fan of him on Northern Exposure.  Did anyone else notice the priest was played by Northern Exposure alum John Cullum?)  Burroughs seemed to be reading directly from a teleprompter at times...I just wasn't feeling it.

Watching this story unfold reminded me of how far we have come in respecting each others right to love who we love – but how far we have yet to go.  For me, it was extremely frustrating to watch the Catholic Church  stand in judgment over these wonderful men.  (That's all I am going to say about that)

There were a few story lines that didn't seem necessary, and were never really resolved (French book thefts?  Is Elliot having an affair?)  Maybe their answers lay somewhere on an editing room floor. 

One of my favorite scenes is the "bar scene" in which Ben spins a tale to the gorgeous bartender who in turn buys Ben & George a drink.  A dear childhood friend of mine plays that sexy bartender, our own Michael J. Burg.

Over all, I loved it.  I cried twice  - and there is nothing I love more than a good cry during a beautiful love story.