Les hommes de ma vie

A true sleeper; a heartfelt drama with an odd title that isn't really 'about' any one thing, but ends up more truthful about life than most higher-profile Hollywood product.

It's a movie that's rather slow and low-key, but stick with it. There are many wonderful moments along the way, both funny and poignant, conveyed with remarkable verisimilitude by a skilled cast. We've grown accustomed to the excellence of Jessica Lange, convincing here as a recent widow trying to make a new life for herself and her boys, but she's ably supported by Arliss Howard, Joan Cusack, and especially Chris O'Donnell and Charlie Korsmo, who play her sons.

Director Paul Brickman hasn't made many films but this is surely his best; he also collaborated on its quietly-observed, slice-of life script with Barbara Benedek (THE BIG CHILL). Thomas Newman's spare, haunting score reveals why he's one of the finest film composers working today.

Also, despite other user comments, this is not a 'tearjerker.' MEN DON'T LEAVE comes by its emotional impact honestly, with restraint and subtlety. Other filmmakers could learn a thing or two from Lange, Brickman et al. Highly recommended.

It usually takes me two viewings of a film to decide whether I think it is a great film. The second that "Men Don't Leave" ended I knew it was a great film. It tells the story of a middle aged woman (Jessica Lange) who moves her two sons to Baltimore following the death of her husband. There she meets a quirky musician (Arliss Howard) and her older son starts dating an equally quirky x-ray technician (Joan Cusack). This film is by turns joyful and heartbreakingly sad and features sure-handed direction by Paul Brickman and a beautiful score by Thomas Newman who also scored "American Beauty". The performances are wonderful, most notably Jessica Lange's and Joan Cusack's. If you're looking for a wonderful family drama with comedic moments then "Men Don't Leave" is for you. One of the best films of the 1990's.

In Men Don't Leave, Jessica Lange has to cope when all three men in her life do just that. Her happy family is shattered when her husband dies in a tragic accident, and she's left alone to raise her two boys and manage expenses. I'm a big Jessica Lange fan, and she shines once again in what she does best: showing the audience she's about to crack without cracking. When other actresses fly off with their emotions, Jessica keeps hers contained with glistening eyes that show her turmoil.

In addition to another solid Jessica Lange performance, you'll be treated to two other benefits if you watch this movie. Men Don't Leave has an interesting, compelling, realistic story, and a wonderful supporting cast. Jessica's sons are Chris O'Donnell and Charlie Korsmo in their film debuts, and they both show different struggles as they flounder in their new life without a father. Charlie gets into trouble, and Chris tries his hand at being the man of the house with a young, pretty neighbor, Joan Cusack. Both boys show a remarkable confidence in front of the camera for their first film, and Chris shows acting talents I've never seen in his other movies.

Joan Cusack is sweet and sensitive, and it's clear she's trying to help with every line she delivers. Kathy Bates joins the cast as Jessica Lange's boss, and she's strong, magnetic, pretty, and energetic without becoming a caricature. Arliss Howard, a suitor, brings sensitivity to his role, giving the audience hope that there just might be one more nice guy out there in the world.

It's pretty obvious I recommend this movie. With great performances and a realistic slice-of-life story that doesn't feel forced, symbolic, or dated, this movie will continue to stand the test of time.

Breadwinning husband and father dies and leaves wife and two sons nearly broke and homeless. Jessica Lange has never been better than here as Beth Macauly, a woman who is almost driven to insanity in the chaotic aftermath of her husbands death. Its not completely dark, though...there is quite a bit of humor as the family tries to adjust to the new environment and people that touch their lives. This film is one of the few model examples of all main characters performing the tasks they were assigned perfectly. Excellent acting through and through.

Lange is her usual extraordinary self, especially in that part of the film depicting--quite aptly--the onset of acute depression. Cusack deserves her oscar nomination--manages expertly one of the most appealing characters you will ever see on screen. Comedy, romance, and everyday tragedy put together

in an affecting script that has few weak moments. If you are drawn to small films centered on human relationships that draw sniffles and chuckles of recognition and a welcome sigh of relief when it all turns out at the end, you will love this film.