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Two Lovers

Play trailer Poster for Two Lovers R 2009 1h 49m Drama Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
81% Tomatometer 167 Reviews 59% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
Following a broken engagement, sometime photographer Leonard Kraditor (Joaquin Phoenix) moves in with his parents in Brighton Beach. He soon becomes involved with Sandra (Vinessa Shaw), an honest and sensible young woman. They appear to be a perfect match, then Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow) enters the picture. Beautiful but manipulative, she wraps him around her finger, even though she has a rich, married boyfriend.
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Two Lovers

Two Lovers

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Critics Consensus

Two Lovers is a complex, intriguing, richly-acted romantic drama.

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Critics Reviews

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Simran Hans New Statesman 02/03/2021
What's striking about this particular entry in the Phoenix-as-isolated-eccentric canon is its flavour of defeated animal loneliness. Go to Full Review
Richard Brody The New Yorker 04/14/2020
Joaquin Phoenix stars-and delivers his most self-scourging performance-in James Gray's taut and melancholy Brighton Beach romance. Go to Full Review
Evan Williams The Australian 06/12/2009
4/5
The film never feels dark or gloom-laden. The performances are so sensitive, so convincing, that we are drawn inescapably into a real world of pain and solace. Go to Full Review
Mitchell Beaupre Paste Magazine 03/20/2024
9.5/10
No film has captured how we idealize others in relationships better than Two Lovers. Go to Full Review
Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 12/15/2023
2/4
Gray gives us nothing to cling to emotionally, and so he leaves the audience floating in the indifference of open space, hoping for something worthwhile to happen that might make us care. Go to Full Review
Taylor Baker Drink in the Movies 10/18/2021
78/100
Episode 49: Hustlers / Ad Astra / Two Lovers / ALTIPLANO Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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helder f 01/14/2024 This is a story that is way too well known to many lovers. Like the song goes, everyone plays the fool sometimes. One watches the movie like one would watch a friend or even one's past self makes mistakes for loving the wrong person. And scene after scene we know the story will not end well… the characters and their flaws are really clear. In that movie is very successful. The problem I had with the movie is that just like in real life the story is repetitive and tedious for those who are not involved in. We see the characters and their dramas very well and very early in the movie , so that after that, the movie just drags somehow. Having said that, the end is a bit surprising. Both Michelle and Leonard have interesting similarities. See more Aaron S 04/20/2023 This is a very intriguing romantic drama that focuses more on the emotional health of its interesting characters more than their love stories. Joaquin Phoenix's Leonard feels like a little kid sometimes. Completely unable to understand his emotions and desires and seems to blow with the wind despite where it may lead him. His love interests are a little less complex but are still well conceived characters with their own motivations and are just plot pieces for Leonard's story. Overall, Two Lovers is good and worth a watch, but not a must-see by any means. See more GM M 04/07/2023 It's very good but I wished he'd kept walking. See more isla s 09/03/2022 This is quite nice, subtle romantic drama. Joaquin gives a good, low key performance and the characters are interesting - they all have their own issues, good and bad points. There's some shaky camerawork and its a bit slow to build, plot pace wise I suppose but I enjoyed watching it and I thought it was a good film. I recommend this film, yes. See more 07/14/2022 Phoenix and Paltrow deliver strong performances in this beautifully depressive film. Though the ending is sad and frustrating, it's the best outcome for all involved. See more Pedro G 09/21/2021 Muy buena película, una gran cinta de romance/drama. La película presenta una muy buena historia de amor, que nos deja ver las decisiones que toma el protagonista con sus dos intereses amorosos a través de toda la película. El final no me terminó de convencer mucho y esperaba más profundidad en como el protagonista tiene que lidiar con una vida con las dos chicas a la vez sin que lo descubran. Sin embargo, destaco la dirección de James Gray, la fotografía y las actuaciones, ya que Joaquín Phoenix se luce como siempre y Gwyneth Paltrow también la rompe. En conclusión, una muy buena película, bastante infravalorada en mi opinión, con una historia genial que te engancha desde el principio. Muy recomendada. See more Read all reviews
Two Lovers

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Movie Info

Synopsis Following a broken engagement, sometime photographer Leonard Kraditor (Joaquin Phoenix) moves in with his parents in Brighton Beach. He soon becomes involved with Sandra (Vinessa Shaw), an honest and sensible young woman. They appear to be a perfect match, then Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow) enters the picture. Beautiful but manipulative, she wraps him around her finger, even though she has a rich, married boyfriend.
Director
James Gray
Producer
Donna Gigliotti, James Gray, Anthony Katagas
Screenwriter
James Gray, Ric Menello
Distributor
Magnolia Pictures
Production Co
2929 Productions, Tempesta Films
Rating
R (Language|Brief Drug Use|Some Sexuality)
Genre
Drama, Romance
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 13, 2009, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 15, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$3.1M
Runtime
1h 49m
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