IMDb RATING
6.1/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
When two beautiful women fall for the unluckiest guy in the world his life takes on delicious complications.When two beautiful women fall for the unluckiest guy in the world his life takes on delicious complications.When two beautiful women fall for the unluckiest guy in the world his life takes on delicious complications.
- Awards
- 1 win total
Meredith Roberts Quill
- Blow-Off Girl #4
- (as Meredith Lieber)
Linette Straus
- Blow-Off Girl #6
- (as Linette Strauss)
David J. McGuire
- Mugger #1
- (as Dave McGuire)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
I watched this movie last evening and thought it was great. It reminds me a lot of the 80's romantic comedy "About Last Night." Ron Livingston is great as usual. I loved the story, the characters - EVERYTHING!
Great job folks on making a movie that I could enjoy without drowning in tears or laughing to the point of vomiting. It was a great balance!
Great job folks on making a movie that I could enjoy without drowning in tears or laughing to the point of vomiting. It was a great balance!
One wishes to like this film, to find in it that which will it make it recommendable, low budget underdog independent production that it is, led by a first-time director, having a colourful urban setting with an emphasis upon romantic relationships, and an attractive young cast; however, a drastic flaw in the writing quickly casts doubt upon its having a chance to rise above mediocrity. The core of its story consists of the experiences of Marty (Ron Livingston), a would-be novelist living in Manhattan, expatriate from Maine, struggling ineffectively with the familiar conundrum of young men seeking amorous satisfaction until he, within the space of a few days, discovers that two attractive young women, each named Nina, are smitten with him, and he therefore must face an inevitable decision to select one of them, thereby abandoning the second, all while assuring that the liaisons will not converge to his total loss of romance. From his roost upon a bar stool, Marty's best friend Dave (Bray Poor), performs as Chorus, face to the camera, to describe his pal's adventures in love, along with his own, with events moving to a somewhat predictable climax hastened by Marty's carelessness in not keeping his lovers separate. The mentioned shortcoming in the writing is a penchant of tyro scriptor/director Neil Turwitz to have each of his characters speak in the same manner, as dialogue for all is distinguished by consistent syntax, vocabulary, and rhythm, whether man or woman, and only the skill of Poor (who gains acting honours in this piece) in maintaining his precision of timing, and natural actress Cara Buono as one of the Ninas, somewhat leavens an otherwise monochromic script. An overly naturalistic tenor in the screenplay frequently grates upon one's sensibilities, but a decision to prevent some flubs from winding up on the cutting room floor works well enough, although those components of post-production that require dubbing and mixing are often errant, in line with generally woeful D.J. selection that comprises most of the scoring for a film that sinks from its shallowness.
The plot in Two Ninas doesn't break any new ground, in fact it's pretty unoriginal and predictable, but it's not the plot that pulls you in. The likeable characters that Ron Livingston and Nina Buono portray, along with very memorable writing that resembles "Swingers" and "Office Space" make it a great watch. Ron Livingston's parts just keep getting better (the slouch-shouldered, down-on-his-luck, lonely twenty-something); and who is this Nina Buono? So brew some coffee, get some smokes, and watch this movie while you drown in your own self-pity.
My bias is not to expect a "finished product" from a first time film-maker, but this is a real surprise. It is well scripted, well cast and acted, with excellent cinematography and editing- it's tight and concise, without wasted screentime, and the storyline should delight any viewer. Not a "big" film, not a "blockbuster," but, rather, a truly wonderful entertainment, that moves this viewer to want to come back for more.
I saw this film last year at the Gen Art Film Festival in NYC, where it won Audience Award. I just watched it a second time eleven months later on videotape, (a copy submitted to another festival, which inexplicably rejected it), and it holds up.
It has a few flaws: Amanda Peet's character is shunted aside too cavalierly in the third act; we never see these guys at the jobs they mention often; the lead character's novel being queried about by an agent goes nowhere, and an ending that ends flat, despite the enjoyable movie that leads up to it. But the pluses are many: great soundtrack, good NYC locations, no false notes, and a breezy pace.
Bray Poor, who I saw off Broadway in what I thought was an authentic Cockney accent, is simply great as the shallow NYC friend. Amanda Peet is very engaging here, which explains why I wanted to see more of her. And the lead actor is extremely good. Cara Buono was fine as the main Nina. (She's a hell of a writer. I've read her "Charmed Life" screenplay.)
All in all, an entertaining dead-on dating movie. Men and women will both like it. Where are the distributors?? Worse dreck has been in theaters. This played equally well in a theater with an audience, and at home on tape by myself. It deserves more of an audience.
It has a few flaws: Amanda Peet's character is shunted aside too cavalierly in the third act; we never see these guys at the jobs they mention often; the lead character's novel being queried about by an agent goes nowhere, and an ending that ends flat, despite the enjoyable movie that leads up to it. But the pluses are many: great soundtrack, good NYC locations, no false notes, and a breezy pace.
Bray Poor, who I saw off Broadway in what I thought was an authentic Cockney accent, is simply great as the shallow NYC friend. Amanda Peet is very engaging here, which explains why I wanted to see more of her. And the lead actor is extremely good. Cara Buono was fine as the main Nina. (She's a hell of a writer. I've read her "Charmed Life" screenplay.)
All in all, an entertaining dead-on dating movie. Men and women will both like it. Where are the distributors?? Worse dreck has been in theaters. This played equally well in a theater with an audience, and at home on tape by myself. It deserves more of an audience.
Did you know
- TriviaNeil Turitz did not go to film school and had never set foot on a film set before his first day as the director.
- GoofsNina Cohen's friend Carrie refers to Nina's apartment as being number 3A, but earlier in the film we see that her apartment is actually number 3B.
- Quotes
Nina Cohen: Get in the car, Marty.
Marty Sachs: ...
Nina Cohen: Where are we going?
Marty Sachs: Let's just drive.
[Engine starts]
- ConnectionsReferences Le Magicien d'Oz (1939)
- How long is Two Ninas?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $14,725
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $10,976
- Jan 28, 2001
- Gross worldwide
- $14,725
- Runtime
- 1h 28m(88 min)
- Color
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