Eva (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) is divorced and wondering what’s up next for her. Then she meets Marianne (Catherine Keener), who is everything that Eva wants to be. With a newly restored outlook on her middle-aged life and looking for the right person, she takes a chance on new love interest Albert (James Gandolfini) – a sweet, funny and like-minded male. Yet, things get complicated when Eva discovers Albert is the ex-husband of Marianne. Can Eva juggle both new relationships? Or is Eva doomed to revert back to her old self?
Both of the lead actors in Enough Said have made their names in huge TV shows that were a success all over the world, yet in completely different genres. Louis-Dreyfus was exceptional as the love-lorn Elaine Benes in Seinfeld, constantly striving to find “the one”. James Gandolfini almost single handily created the new HBO channel thanks to his magnificent role as Tony Soprano in The Sopranos. Yet neither of them could truly be classed as romantics from their on-screen personas we all know. Thankfully writer/director Nicole Holofcener saw something in these two working together that would create a spark to work on film.
The story isn’t ground breaking – divorcee’s trying to get back on the dating horse – but it needs people who can be emphasised with. The story chugs along as a decent pace never pushing and always letting the film flow. Enough Said is a joy to watch thanks to Gandolfini and Louis-Dreyfus having special chemistry together on every scene. They gradually allow their persona’s to creep into the relationship and it doesn’t alter a thing about the film.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus is beautifully charming and has a wonderfully electric smile, yet is a touch on the neurotic side. This adds a humanistic attitude to her performance. On the same page is Gandolfini’s Albert, a bear of a man that has a heart made of soft marshmallows. He is beautifully calm and understated throughout, and at times scared of what he is expected to be doing to win the heart of his lady. This is the complete opposite of Tony Soprano and it looks like Gandolfini relished being able to show his soft caring side, even down to his awkwardness in bed.
The secondary cast all pop up when needed to usher in a moment required to push the lovers story closer together, quick & fleeting but just the right amount of screen time required. There is a slight sub-story about daughters going off to college that pads out parts of the film, but it feels rather weak in the entire context of the film and could have been left out without any real issue to the film.
Enough Said is an intelligent and thought provoking, yet funny, piece about love second time around. The two leads are just magnificent and have dynamite chemistry in such a mature film that feels so bittersweet.
