Rating: 
Summary: I could barely handle two conversations, let alone 13
Review: I don't really know what all of the other reviewers were thinking about when they gave this movie 4 or 5 stars. This was one of the most tedious, blatant movies that I've ever sat through.(and yeah, I'll go ahead and apologize for my spelling) It tries to be deep and give us a real look at people and the way they look at the world, but none of the characters are believable. I think I could write better dialogue than this. One reviewer said that at first the audience is confused by the changes in scene and characters. Whatever. All of the little different story lines going on were extremely transparent; it wasn't confusing, it was boring, because you knew exactly what was going to happen before it happened. I think that the idea for the movie was actually good, but it seems that the writers were afraid that the audience wouldn't get it, so they over explained every thing. If you want to see an outstanding movie that is in the same style as this one, watch Full Frontal. It doesn't assume you're stupid, and the way that the different characters are connected just seemlessly falls into place.
Rating: 
Summary: Amazingly Creative Film
Review: This undoubtedly is one of the best films I have ever seen. However, it will make little sense if you watch it in pieces. If you watch it all at once, it will leave you awed and intrigued. It is possibly the most creative movie I've seen in a long time.
Rating: 
Summary: Quiet movie with a nice slight twist.
Review: Just when you think you're so happy, life happens. This movie is chock full of one liners...In a city of 13 million isn't it funny how we all try so hard not to look at each other. Look up, already, smile at someone, you might just change their life.
A good movie that makes you think and sticks with you.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful journey
Review: Loved this movie. Won't repeat what's already been said. Ditto the good reviews. Really enjoyed the non-traditional storyline. Acting was superb by ALL of the actors -- both known and not so well-known. Loved the exclusion of nudity, violence and special effects in telling this wonderful story. Still very compelling. The movie is done beautifully and is a simplistic work of art in acting, cinematography, and musical score, etc. Thank you to the more well-known actors for contributing your time to these kinds of movies, lending your names to pull in the funding needed to keep creating these wonderful tales. Thank you John Turturro (totally fascinating in this role!), Matthew McConaughey (brilliant and cute), Alan Arkin (loveable), and Amy Irving (classic). As for the other actors, of which there are really too, too many to mention -- BRAVO! To the sisters who wrote this, Thank You. Great job! Great commentary (about 25? mins) on the DVD version about how the movie came about. Don't miss this one!
Rating: 
Summary: Good, but missing something...
Review: 13 Conversations About One Thing is a film that deals with issues of doubt, faith, envy, happiness, and most of all, the way our lives are affected by even the smallest event in ways that we often cannot fathom. Obviously, the film is treading upon familiar ground; however, these issues are presented in a fashion that is original enough to avoid any sense of repetitiveness or redundancy.
The film presents us with a variety of characters, each dealing with the issues mentioned above in his or her own way. Towards the end of the film, as the scope slowly broadens and moves from a tight focus on the individual to include a wider canvas in which we can focus on all of the characters at once, the splendidly intricate ripple effect that has taken place between the characters becomes clearer. The strength of the film lies here, when the viewer can see the big picture and the way in which every decision one makes in life can affect the life of another.
The pacing of the film is often deliberately slow and suffocating, which in this case works to achieve the director's goal. The film itself is paced like real life, underscoring the fact that each action does not always elicit an immediate reaction. In reality, only time will tell when that ripple effect has reached it's end, and only then can all it's effects be known.
All in all, this was a good film, with thought provoking themes and very good performances by the actors. What is was missing though was the ability to grab a viewer and make itself truly memorable. The film is certainly worth seeing, but it lacked that certain undefinable something that could potentially make it a great film.
Rating:
Summary: PESSIMISTIC VIEWS OF LIFE WITH HAZY SILVER LININGS
Review: Director Jill Sprecher's, "Thirteen Conversations" projects a message is both specific and universal. In examining the lives of a group of New Yorkers, Sprecher ponders the ways we think about happiness and often overlook it when we have it. The thirteen chapters each begin with headines drawn from the dialogue. The film follows several unrelated characters whose lives eventually intersect in unexpected ways. The first one, a Columbia physics professor (John Turturro) is still suffering the effects of being mugged in the street. Cold and distant from his wife (Amy Irving), he looks perplexed when she asks what he wants from life. "What anyone wants," he says, "is to experience life to the fullest. To be happy." The plot then focuses on a cocky prosecutor (Matthew McConaughey), first seen celebrating a conviction at a bar. But on his way home, however, he hits a pedestrian with his car - then panics and leaves her in the street to die. His world is turned inside out by guilt, an emotion at which he earlier scoffed Possibly the most exciting performance was handed in by Alan Arkin who plays Gene English, dissatisfied manager of a department at an insurance company who supervises a staff full of men he can't stand. In particular, he has it in for a fellow nicknamed "Smiley" because of his constantly upbeat attitude. Pressured by cutbacks at work, Gene also copes with an estranged son whose drug habit keeps him in and out of prison. Gene English's life is sour. Then there's the young housecleaner Beatrice (Clea Duvall), who takes pride in her work and flirts with one of her employers, an architect. Having been saved from drowning as a child, she tells a friend that she had a vision at that moment that she was being saved for a reason. But a tragedy forces her to rethink the way she's been living her life. Alas, "13 CONVERSATIONS ABOUT ONE THING is not a feel-good or fantasy movie. It probably won't be around long because it is the opposite of the usual Hollywood escapist fluff. But this is a rarely encountered movie which asks important questions from life's characters that each one of us has met at one time or another. After sitting through this exercise in critical questioning you don't feel like celebrating, but you do feel that something important was brought to you for your serious consideration. This movie respects its audience's intelligence which is a refreshing depature from those money makers that insult it. The serious grownup will enjoy and appreciate this grownup film.
Rating:
Summary: What Do You Want?
Review: 13 Conversations About One Thing is a genial story that begins in the home of Professor Walker (John Turturro), a physicist, who is asked by his wife what he wants. Walker responds--what all people want, happiness. The story itself is as fragmented as the actual search that many face when they search for this emotional state of joy. As the audience is initially led through the story via a number of conversations, it seems like these conversations have no relevance to one another. The story becomes awkward to the degree where a feeling of confusion grabs the audience. However, it becomes apparent that everything is interconnected as the conversations and the story continue. 13 Conversations About One Thing is a delicate experience about several characters search for happiness in daily life. These characters are supported by a terrific cast that carries the story with a intriguing script, which has been directed with an insightful hand.
Rating:
Summary: Characters worth getting to know
Review: It's actually closer to seven or eight conversations about four or five things, though most of those things admittedly touch some way on the theme of human interaction. But no matter-- this is a thoughtful and well-acted movie laced with humanity, and featuring yet another terrific Alan Arkin performance. The movie is also pretty funny at times, and clever without being too impressed with its cleverness. And the movie looks and sounds really great on DVD.
Rating:
Summary: Smart, tight and a great conversation piece (pun intended)
Review: Telling several intertwining stories in an out-of-order fashion, 13 Conversations About One Thing is just as the title implies: Thirteen conversations about what makes you happy. With an excellent ensemble cast including Matthew McConaughey, John Turturro, and Alan Arkin, the film smartly shows how one seemingly isolated event occurring to one person can effect the lives of others who don't even know of the other's existence. There have been plenty of films exploring how people's lives are interconnected, the most recent being Magnolia. But 13 Conversations About One Thing is more tightly woven then many other similar films. We clearly see all these connections and the cause and effect relationships they have, even though the characters never realize how small their world is. The result is a fantastic exploration of fate. But what pushes this film up another notch is how it doesn't stop there and provides another theme: Happiness. Each character is stuck at a point in life coming to terms with their own happiness, or their lack their of. Each character is unique and at a different stage, from finding happiness and suddenly losing it, to having lost it long ago. 13 Conversations About One Thing will lead to conversations long after the film, both on happiness and how small the world really is. This refreshingly good film is well worth checking out.
Rating:
Summary: "Show me a happy man..." (4.5 stars)
Review: If you were asked what the words "happiness" or "fate" meant to you, chances are your answer would be very different from everybody else. Not all the answers to simple or complex questions are the same, as this movie illustrates in a very creative and effective manner. "13 Conversations About One Thing" is a film that examines the daily life of human beings, and just how something so subtle or small can cause a chain reaction of events. The movie revolves around five New Yorkers who end up getting involved with one another's life in some way. There's the public defender who in a chain of events ends up walking the path of a criminal by covering his tracks. And then there is the bitter business man who can't stand the fact that one of his workers is always happy no matter what. There's the confused college professor who fears of not living life to the fullest after being mugged. There's the happy and enthusiastic cleaning woman who believes miracles happens everyday, but has her worldview drastically changed when she is hospitalized after being hit by a car. And finally, there's the woman who has to deal with the fact that her husband is cheating on her after having his stolen wallet returned. All of this is a setup for a sad, and yet moving film about the everyday events that we overlook from time to time. And how we never really notice even the smallest chain reactions that occur everywhere. This was a great movie to watch and kept my attention throughout. I do admit that I was confused the first time, being that the movie really isn't told in chronological order, but more set up as little separate stories. After seeing it a second time it really did help me understand more of what was transpiring. It always makes me happy to see a film like this that actually makes you think and want to re-evaluate the things you see in life. The cast was sensational. Alan Arkin was really a joy to watch and I'm sad that he didn't get more recognition. As he is always good in what he does, this is one of his best roles in recent memory. Matthew McChonaughey is also terrific and deserves mention. John Turturro never fails to impress me and I believe he was perfect for his role. Clea Duvall really makes you sympathize with what has happened to her and you really do hope that her worldview can go back to the way it was. And last, but not least, Amy Irving really delivers an exceptional performance. The writing and directing is also very impressive as well. The DVD has a few things to offer; not a lot, but enough to keep me content. There's a couple of trailers (including the one for the movie itself), and commentary (which I have yet to hear but am anxious to listen to). The picture and sound quality is really good and does the movie justice. "13 Conversations About One Thing" is a highly interesting movie that can actually speak to you if you allow it to. Although it may be confusing at times, it still does more than just simply getting the job done. It makes us think, it makes us wonder, and it makes us pause in silence. Of course, this is one not everyone is going to like, but I think the movies that don't appeal to everybody are the ones worth examining. You'll never know where and when you'll find a gem. This was a very deep and emotionally charged film, and I am glad I gave it a chance. It was not time wasted, I can tell you that much.
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