Rating: 
Summary: BEST FAMILY DRAMA IN 20 YEARS
Review: Here are the most compelling reasons to buy this film, especially on DVD:Words such as "masterpiece" and "genius" are incredibly overused these days, but I'm prepared to make the following statement: The screenplay is a masterpiece and Mark Ruffalo is a genius. (And Laura Linney, bless your soul, you are a damn fine actress.) Let me take a quick crack at supporting this statement, so that you can get on with the business of watching this movie instead of reading my review. 1. THE EDITING: Lonnergan's orginal screenplay chalked up 125 pages, which translates into roughly 125 minutes screen time. AFTER the final edit, Lonnergan RETYPED the screenplay (only a devoted writer and parent would do such a thing) and it yielded 95 pages. Now anyone who has written anything at all can tell you THIS IS SOME MAJOR CUTTING. And for the viewer it means a TIGHT, DIRECT, and WONDERFULLY VISUAL movie. To see what the hell I'm talking about, just check out the crash scene at the beginning of the film and specifically the moment when the policeman struggles to get a word out on the front porch. CUT!! You don't need to see anymore. Lonnergan trusts the audience to put the pieces together and the film moves on. It was at this very early point in the film when I saw it at the theater that I sensed the brilliance to come. And was not let down. You can probably find 20 moments where the scene ends EXACTLY WHERE IT NEEDS TO. (A comparable film in this respect is "Days of Heaven.") 2. BELIEVABLE CHARACTERS. That means complex characters. Characters who are not ALL GOOD or ALL BAD. Characters who behave in predictable and sometimes highly unpredictable ways, much like you and me. 3. SUPERB ACTING. You just don't see such nuanced performances like this every day. Watch Ruffalo carefully. Watch everything he does, even the way he listens to other characters. It's electrifying. His body language is a revelation and his delivery is perfect. I could watch him all day. The first three times I saw the film I was so enthralled by him I almost missed Laura Linney's performance. It is the equal of Ruffalo's. 4. THE SCREENPLAY. Everyone raves about the screenplay, so I've put this section near the end so you won't miss the other great qualities of this film. Lonnergan, I understand, wrote every single itty bitty word in the movie, including all the um and ahs. His appreciation for character is so deep, he KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT THESE CHARACTERS WOULD SAY, AND HOW THEY WOULD SAY IT. 5. THE DIRECTOR'S COMMENTARY. The beauty, the absolute beauty of DVDs, is that from time to time you get the director's commentary on the audio track. In this incredibly generous and down-to-earth commentary, Lonnergan drops gem after gem, telling us all manner of large and small things, from insights into the characters, the movie-making process, and the incredibly sappy and small-minded film industry itself, to pointing out which character is his real-life wife (!) and which scenes he had Laura Linney and Mark Ruffalo direct! Final analysis: A must-own DVD. Especially for budding actors, editors, and screenwriters.
Rating:
Summary: Simple Gifts.
Review: This engaging sibling story wastes no time harvesting interest on behalf of the audience as we grow to care about the complex and endearing characters speedily within the first 20 minutes of the movie. Seemingly boring and slow at the opening, the characters, with a beautiful screenplay, quickly involve us in their plight in such a way that even the harshest cynic, if blood still pumping within his veins, will take notice. Superb acting all around, a magnificently restrained and honest screenplay, and incredibly believable chemistry and casting make "You Can Count on Me" a memorable and impacting experience. The DVD, quite humble in its features, is still simply easy to forgive, as the real motivator for purchasing this movie is the story itself. Savor it.
Rating:
Summary: I LOVED THIS MOVIE!!!!!!!
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this movie!!!!! The story really grabbed me, and had me by the heart. I laughed, I cried, I smiled alot. I think it is one of the top films of the year 2000. Laura Linney plays Sammy, a divorced mother of one child, Rudy. Rudy is played by one of MacCauley Culkin's little brothers..He reminds me so much Mac in his earlier days(think Home Alone) I really loved her performance, and I think she so deserved that Academy Award way more than Julia Roberts did. She had great expressions, emotions. Her whole hearted portrayal of Sammy is so amazing. Things start to change for her when her "free spirited" brother, Terry, blows back into town to borrow money from her and ends up staying for a visit. The story takes place in a small town, and it's seems as if the characters all know each other so well. It is such a good film that I could easily watch it again and will eventually buy. I have a brother that is very much like Terry, and could totally identify with this film. I think alot of us will see something in it that reminds us of our own lives. The acting is first rate all around. Matthew Broderick plays Sammy's new boss at the bank she works at. It seems that most of the other reviewers here loved this movie as much as I did. For a small film that didn't have much of a showing in the theaters, it's a great movie!! Family drama with a tinge of comedy and excellent acting. -- If you are looking for a film like this, rent You can count on me..and you won't be disappointed!!!
Rating: 
Summary: A good film that has its share of ups and downs
Review: I wish more directors had Kenneth Lonergan's gifts with words and with actors. His is a quietly moving story about two very different siblings whose lives have been shaped differently by their parents' untimely deaths. Laura Linney plays the responsible older sister who is given to cautious and private moments of recklessness, but still maintains her stature in the community. Mark Ruffalo plays the wild and roving younger brother who floats from experience to experience with little regard for consequences. Their personalities are revealed mostly through mundane daily encounters that another movie might have exaggerated or discarded. All the little moments add up to a life-sized story that is at times as anti-climactic and fragmented as life itself. The fact that this all takes place in a small town without the usual "life in a small town" movie cliches (which, by the way, "American Beauty" is filled with, in my opinion), is somewhat of a miracle in this day and age. For all of its merits, however, the film shows its seams a little too often. Lonergan's screenplay is solid and Linney, Ruffalo, and the rest of the cast, including Matthew Broderick, Rory Culkin and Lonergan himself, do a great job with their roles, but Lonergan has absolutely no style as a director. His background in stage is most evident when he shifts from shorter scenes to longer ones. Without a earful of dialogue to present, the movie feels clipped; shots end abruptly and often segue clumsily into the next. While dazzling camerawork and smooth editing is certainly not necessary for a film this driven by its characters, it certainly leaves a lot to be desired when the talking stops. Nevertheless, the film is worth seeing for the performances and the dialogue. One hopes that between this one and his next project that Lonergan develops a little more cinematic sensibility, or, better yet, leaves the directing to someone else.
Rating:
Summary: great movie
Review: If you like movies with a good story and great acting, (Laura Linney and Mark Ruffalo are both terrific) this is for you. This movie shows how two siblings have been affected by a childhood tragedy, and how each one copes for better or worse in adulthood. If you don't like movies about relationships, rent the latest car lover movie (dude and gone). There is a car crash in this movie so check it out.
Rating:
Summary: Not enough superlatives for this film
Review: I can't say enough good about this tiny sleeper film. It is a simple story--the loser brother returns to town to his hometown that he ditched after his parents died. He goes to stay with his divorced, uptight sister and her young son. Chaos and conflict ensue due to their differing personality styles. But the script and direction (both by Ken Lonergan, who appears in the film in the small, very funny role of the priest who Sammy consults) are touching, funny, and thoughtful. This, in my opinion, should have taken the Oscar for best original screenplay (which went to "Traffic"). The Oscar, too, could deservedly have gone to Laura Linney, whose Sammy is a character study in small gestures, well-timed lines and naturalistic acting. Credit, too, should go to Mark Ruffalo as the brother and the actor (one of the Culkin clan) that plays Sammy's young son. Touching without being maudlin or sentimental, laugh-out-loud funny, and well crafted in every way. This small movie tells a small, very human story in the very best way--that's the highest praise that I can give. After two hours, you leave wanting to know more about what will happen to these people, and you wish that you knew them. But you do--that's how universal they are. A must-see.
Rating: 
Summary: a real mystery
Review: I saw this movie soon before it was released theatrically. I knew the screenplay had won at Sundance, but there was virtually no hype or word-of-mouth. What I saw was an incredibly bland, boring film, a little dollop of sentimentalism that might have cut it on TV but as a film was a huge waste of time. Then the reviews starting rolling in, and I was totally dumbfounded. What movie was everyone watching? Mark Ruffalo does a great job, and Kenneth Lonergan's acting turn was a highlight -- but the screenplay? I should advise heartily against anyone's seeing it, except for the fact that everyone seems to like it. So here I am, forced to resort to these quiet little displays of baffled, anonymous dissent.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best movies I have ever seen
Review: This is one of the best movies I have ever seen. The acting is as amazing as the writing, which is as amazing as the directing...I have seen this movie about ten times, and it has made me cry every time. It is the type of movie that makes you want to call everyone you love and tell them how much you love them...it is a perfect movie which delivers laughs as well as some of the best family drama I have ever seen in my life. I never write reviews, but this movie demands one.
Rating:
Summary: Review of "You Can Count on Me"
Review: Personally, I thought this was one of the top 5 movies of 2000. Laura Linney and Mark Ruffalo had amazing chemistry in this film. You grew to love the characters in this movie. It's a must see.
Rating:
Summary: an enjoyable, touching story
Review: The acting is first-rate throughout. Laura Linney gives an Oscar-worthy performance. I've read critics who did not like the performance of the guy who played her brother. They must've been smoking something illegal--he was dead-on. The story is captivating in it's portrayal of real people and problems we all could or do face during our lives. Not an action movie (thankfully), sci-fi, or mystery. Just a good story with great acting. That makes a great movie.
| 
