Two Lovers

• Director: James Gray
• Writer: James Gray, Ric Menello
• Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow, Vinessa Shaw
• Theatrical Release Date:
• Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
• Criticwire: A-
• On The Web Film WebsiteIMDB Entry

Synopsis: Set in the insular world of Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, "Two Lovers" is a classic romantic drama, with Joaquin Phoenix giving a raw and vulnerable performance as Leonard, a charismatic but troubled young man who moves back into his childhood home following a recent heartbreak. While recovering under the watchful eye of his parents (Isabella Rossellini and Moni Monoshov), Leonard meets two women in quick succession: Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow), a mysterious and beautiful neighbor who is exotic and out-of-place in Leonard's staid world, and Sandra, the lovely and caring daughter of a businessman who is buying out his family's dry-cleaning business. Leonard becomes deeply infatuated by Michelle, who seems poised to fall for him, but is having a self-destructive affair with a married man. At the same time, mounting pressure from his family pushes him towards committing to Sandra. Leonard is forced to make an impossible decision – between the impetuousness of desire and the comfort of love – or risk falling back into the darkness that nearly killed him. [Synopsis courtesy of film's official website]