Liaisons à New York

This is a unique little movie and has very limited appeal...of which I am part of the limit...hence the 8 out of 10. Its content is similar to both The Squid and the Whale (although not as richly realized) as well as The Mysteries of Pittsburgh (but less self-conscious). Without relying on period pop music, it manages to capture a very specific moment in New York City...back when living in the lower east side was considered radical and right before the Internet and mobile and 9/11 changed everything. At least that is the way it felt. There is more contemporary technology evident...but it felt added on. The story follows a handful of characters, none of whom are particularly sympathetic and all of whom occupy rarefied terrain, either via their education, career, creativity, or family name. Callum Turner-in the lead- had the most clearly drawn role and made the character endearing and not arrogant. He is interesting physically, too...at times looking like Keith Gordon, at others like Richard Gere. Other pluses: its running time is under 90 minutes and it uses some exceptional New York City locations (such as the Brooklyn Museum and the Oyster Bar). Finally, this is really a movie about fathers and sons (and mentors)-a very under-mined topic in film.

The not so good news? The aforementioned time stamp issues...when does this film take place? There are clues but they do not add up under scrutiny. Or is it supposed to take place within the "idea" of a different era? I don't know but they should have gone full late 80s/early 90s period piece. More importantly, the characters are too broadly drawn...and the actors work with what they have. Brosnan, Nixon, Bridges, Clemons, and Beckinsale all do their best with the material they have, rarely share scenes together, and all seem to be unclear as to whether they are in a comedy or a drama. Meanwhile, it occupies some space in between comedy and drama... It's a small movie that has some very big cinematic moments, largely due to the exquisite cinematography by Stuart Dryburgh: a Londoner who clearly loves New York City.

This is a nice twisty drama about an arty family and the personal relationships of the key people. There's a father and mother, an estranged father and a mistress. How all of it comes together and resolves itself is the story. Quite is satisfying watch.

GREAT movie. Admittedly it starts just a little slow but is still very interesting to watch. It then picks up and only gets more and more interesting. It's very poetic and even days after you've watched, it stays with you. It is not for the closed minded or for people who only like fast moving action or typical romance movies. It has different outcomes than you'd expect and every bit along the way is very genuine and very well acted by everyone in it! It is very real life and warm while also heart-breaking and lovely. It is full of depth in each and every single character! I watch this over a weel ago and it just keeps popping into my thoughts. Highly recommend it!

This movie has some shades of a Woody Allen film in its character studies of people and in capturing the atmosphere of Manhattan. It examines family and sexual relationships between a husband and wife as well as extramarital love and sex. It looks at a young man's struggle with his sexual and romantic feelings. This is a psychological drama that highlights guilt, jealousy and even an important aspect of the oedipal complex. It is complicated and heavy stuff and it all flows from the pen of screenwriter Allen Loeb, who had written several successful movies before this earlier script ultimately came to fruition. This didn't happen until Marc Webb became attached to it as director and a terrific ensemble cast was put together which includes Jeff Bridges, Pierce Brosnan, Cynthia Nixon, Kiersey Clemons and Kate Beckinsale. However, the character who ties the plot together is relative newcomer, Callum Turner, who plays Thomas, the 25-year-old son who ultimately makes deep seated discoveries about himself and each of his parents before he can move on with his life.

This is the type of movie that will capture your attention and make you ponder each character's motivation. The story has depth, poignancy and surprises which will grab hold you and won't let go throughout the film. It certainly kept us thinking and talking as we left the theater. (2017) – Scheduled for release August 11th. FilmRap.net

Greetings again from the darkness. When a movie borrows its title from a great Simon and Garfunkel song, and then utilizes the song to emphasize a point during the story, we can't help but have high expectations. This is often true even if it appears we are likely to be subjected to yet another movie featuring the all too familiar ground of New York intellectuals brewing and stewing their own problems. Director Marc Webb (500 DAYS OF SUMMER, GIFTED) delivers the type of film that critics tend to rip, and audiences like to watch.

Much of the story seems familiar, but the excellent cast prevents the clichés from being overly distracting. Callum Turner stars as Thomas, an aimless writer-wannabe and recent college graduate with daddy issues. Thomas spends his time dreaming about what he might be and pining for the beautiful, intelligent girl with whom he hangs out. It's understandable why Mimi (Kiersey Clemons) has friend-zoned him, since she has ambitions and goals, while he mostly just talks and drifts through each day. One evening while enjoying their conversation over drinks, Thomas spots his dad getting beyond "friendly" with a beautiful young woman in a corner booth. This is upsetting because Thomas' parents are still married, and his mother is at home working through clinical depression.

Ethan (Pierce Brosnan) is a well-known publisher and Judith (Cynthia Nixon) is an artist in a fragile state. As with most self-centered twenty-somethings, Thomas has just assumed the marriage was fine and their family fell into the "normal" range of dysfunction. It's about this time when the movie assumes the tone of a Woody Allen movie. Thomas turns detective and begins following the mysterious beauty from the booth, and their first encounter is a bit awkward. He finds himself mesmerized by Johanna (Kate Beckinsale). She's the stuff that dreams (and fantasies) are made of … for both fathers and sons.

Johanna is really the second spell that Thomas has fallen under. His neighbor W.F. has been providing sage advice on love and writing. It's yet another terrific performance from Jeff Bridges, who plays the alcoholic mentor with secrets of his own. See, every character here carries the weight and burden of their own secrets and plays games in every relationship. In fact, much of the movie plays like group therapy – two characters at a time.

No superheroes exist in this world. There are no car chases or guns, and the only knife is used to slice strawberries in the kitchen. The movie could be described as a coming-of-age story; however, it's not just Thomas that has growing up to do. A deeper message is on display for those who take notice. Every person and every family has secrets, and many people find an inability to be honest and open to be a much simpler way to go through life. We know that people aren't always good – even when we really want them to be.

Of course, we do get the obligatory dinner party with a table full of New York intellectuals (including Wallace Shawn) reminiscing about what a great city it used to be. Actually, nostalgia is an underlying theme throughout. The dinner party does provide Thomas the opportunity to drop the best 'Philadelphia' line since W.C. Fields. The script provides some other quality lines, and though it's certainly not at the level of Whit Stillman or Noah Baumbach, it marks a step up for writer Allan Loeb, who is renowned for such lackluster efforts as COLLATERAL BEAUTY, THE SPACE BETWEEN US and JUST GO WITH IT. He likely owes director Webb and cast a debt of gratitude.