Enough Said (English, 2013)

The role of the protagonists is something new and commendable, the hero working in a television history library and the heroine as a masseuse.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Eva radiates charm and is one of the principal reasons why this film works. Her reactions, when she is confused by Albert’s character after getting to know another side of his and while dealing with her daughter, are exemplary. The mistakes she makes in her relationships makes her character very relatable.

The late James Gandolfini as Albert, in his final performance, exhibits the teddy-bear sweetness which was imperative for the role of a clumsy-balding-obese man. His histrionics and dialogue delivery are top class and really make the audience root for him.

The dialogues hold the movie in a good stead. Here and there a comical quip keeps the laughter and banter abuzz. The rendering of sarcastic one-liners by the protagonists is to be taken note of. Sample this, during a discussion on TV shows, when Eva asks whether Albert was neglected as a kid, he sarcastically retorts, “No, I was kind of raised like a veal. I was put in a dark room and fed and told not to move”.

The supporting characters include the awkward couple Ben Falcone & Toni Collette who add color to the film with an interesting subplot. Eva’s daughter and her friend also perform adequately.

The movie doesn’t venture onto the sympathy space by going into the ordeals of a single mother, but stays subtle and true to its genre. The movie depicts some of life’s blatant realities in a manner which deserves applause for the way it was handled.