High Falls

A delight once it gets going, High Falls is a glimpse into a day and a half in the life of a couple. Jackson (Moss-Bachrach) is driving Pedro (Sarsgaard) home after his business trip in Japan. Meanwhile, Pedro's pregnant wife April (Gyllenhaal) is preparing for his arrival. All pretty mundane, until Pedro confesses something to Jackson. Something he plans keeping from his wife. When they arrive, April secretly tells Jackson that she has news she can't possibly tell her husband.

As the evening wears on, with the wine flowing, secret keeper Bud can barely contain himself. We watch the couple duck and dive as he tries to prod each of them towards a confession. Inevitably, something has to give and the climax is both funny and moving.

Director Zuckerman knows when to let the camera roll and let his actors play the moment. And once we're invested, it's a treat to watch. It's a simple story simply acted and shot. And therein lies its magic.