She Came to Me

It's a romantic comedy-drama set in current times in Brooklyn, New York. It follows the experiences and interactions of two completely different families and a tugboat captain.

Steven Lauddem (Peter Dinklage) is an insecure composer facing a deadline for a new opera with no inspiration for a storyline. He's married to Patricia (Anne Hathaway), a therapist who's a clean freak and a closet devout Catholic. She has a bright 18-year-old son, Julian (Evan Ellison), from her first marriage. She had separated from Julian's father, but he had subsequently died. They have a dog named Levi.

Magdalena Szyskowski (Joanna Kulig) is a Polish who works as a cleaning lady. She has a 16-year-old daughter, Tereza (Harlow Jane), from her first husband. She is not married to the man she's living with, Trey Ruffa (Brian d'Arcy James), but he has adopted Tereza. Trey is a court stenographer and an extreme Civil War reenactor.

We learn early on that Julian and Tereza are boyfriend-girlfriend and that Magdalena is the new cleaning lady for Steven and Patricia. None of the adults are happy when they learn of Julian & Tereza's relationship, especially Trey. We also discover that Steven suddenly gets inspiration for his opera from an encounter with tugboat captain Katrina Trento (Marisa Tomei).

"She Came to Me" follows the characters' interactions through three love stories, two of which are surprising but are clearly telegraphed as the plot unfolds. All the primary actors are excellent, especially Dinklage, Tomei, and Ellison. The story is clever and fun.

Director/screenwriter Rebecca Miller has fashioned quite a quirky relationship roundelay in this 2023 dramedy as she focuses on a dumbfounding love triangle saved from complete absurdity by the dexterity of the three leads. The plot is convoluted. Stephen Lauddem is a famous composer with writer's block who sleeps with Katrina, a shopworn tugboat captain with a sex addiction, and then writes a celebrated opera about their fast affair. Stephen is married to Patricia, a beautiful Manhattan therapist with OCD and a strange obsession with nuns. There's a parallel story of Patricia's son who is in love with the underaged daughter of the family maid whose husband is hellbent on breaking up the relationship. All the story strands come together but don't emotionally resonate nearly as much as they should. Miller seems more preoccupied with the characters' eccentricities. The star performances compensate. Peter Dinklage plays Stephen with jaundiced charm, while Anne Hathaway shows off a welcome edginess to Patricia. Marisa Tomei conveys a convincing lived-in approach to Katrina that helps ground the movie's somewhat flighty tone.

In truth maybe it's more like an eight not a ten, but I have to compensate for the crime of it being rated only a six. It deserves so much more than that!

I love this movie because the characters are strange, and yes okay maybe exaggerated as movies tend to be, but actually authentic at the heart of it. Each of them are laugh out loud absurd, but also somehow remind me of someone I know in various ways. This movie captures how sweet it is to be young and in love. It captures how it feels to think that part of your life is over, and be wrong. And it does it in such a strange and original way. I'm sorry I just love it, start to finish.

She Came to Me is about an Opera composer and his dysfunctional relationship with his wife who is also his ex-therapist. One day when writer's block has a harsh grip his OCD wife sends him out for a walk, which will change his life forever.

The cast is magical. Peter Dinklage is mesmerizing as Steven (the opera composer) Anne Hathaway plays his wife Patricia, who is perfectly cast as this clinical OCD control freak.

Marisa Tomei as Katrina is quirky, fun, and compelling, she truly is perfection in this role and you can't help but be cheering her on from the sidelines.

If you like films that are offbeat, original, and quirky then this film is a definite must-watch. I really enjoyed it.

This film gives me hope that there are still writers/actors/producers out there who understand what I need in a movie. I'm NOT the demographic anymore. So Gems like this are hard for me to find.

The film is unique! With a tugboat, (with female captain) opera theater, (with composer) and a psychiatrist with O. C. D.

I LOVED the characters. Imperfect but well intended characters who each come to a greater awareness of what is needed to be more fulfilled and happy.

This film has heart. It's subject matter about real emotions set in a quirky set of circumstances is very relatable and heartwarming. Reminiscent of good ole fashioned story telling that touches the soul.

Something I desperately needed.

P. S./added edit.....I was unfamiliar with the director, Rebecca Miller. Without making any connections, I had actually seen one of her movies years ago that I thought was brilliant with Daniel Day Lewis. And am now, halfway thru her 2016 movie. She has a very clear point of view. And it's very relatable to me as a woman who has said and thought some of the same ideas that Ms. Miller explores in her movies. I'm such a fan!!! Looking forward to catching up on her past films and hope she has more coming!