Critic’s Notebook: TIFF 2013: ‘Enough Said’ a bittersweet goodbye to James Gandolfini
TORONTO -- It was a bittersweet first screening of Nicole Holofcener’s “Enough Said†this afternoon at the Toronto International Film Festival. The writer/director’s new relationship film, a fine one, stars James Gandolfini in his final turn, a fine one too.
In introducing the cast at the elegant old Elgin Theatre, and one of the film festival’s main venues, Holofcener closed with just a line to note that the most beautiful of them wasn’t with us. Like her scripts, the understatement was perfect. The applause that met it was heartfelt.
The film has a great cast that includes Toni Collette, Catherine Keener, Ben Falcone and is wonderfully anchored by a whimsical Julia Louis-Dreyfus. As Eva, a divorcee, she finds herself having a second go at love with Gandolfini’s Albert. Complications arise when she finds out he’s the awful ex her new friend and client, played by Keener, keeps talking about.
INTERACTIVE: Toronto International Film Festival 2013 trailers
Though Holofcener has written a comedy, a sad irony can be found lingering around the edges. “Enough Said†is ultimately a movie about second chances and making your own happy ending. So it’s hard not to wish that Gandolfini’s real story paralleled the film’s.
I know they are actors, and they are not the roles they play, but it’s impossible not to see a lot of Gandolfini in Albert. He’s a guy who worries about his weight, but loves food too much to do anything about it. He’s a big bear of a guy, who can be easily wounded. He’s a bit of a romantic who loves deeply. He is a guy you would like to spend time with.
Gandolfini gives Albert such extraordinary sweetness and tenderness that if you don’t already love his acting, “Enough Said†just might win you over. I already did, so for me the performance was another chance to savor his singular talent.
When the film ends, a simple black and white title card follows. It reads: For Jim. Enough said.
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