Big Picture Big Sound

The Film

Around the time that Joaquin Phoenix freaked out on Letterman, he was promoting Two Lovers. Don't expect to see Phoenix act any more normal in this movie, but you will see him act well.

Rumored to be his last film, Phoenix apparently wants to go out in style. Here he stars as Leonard Kraditor, a man that moves back in with his parents (Isabella Rossellini and Moni Moshonov) to heal a broken heart. While that typically does not sound like a great plan, apparently, his parents' house seems to be a real chick magnet. First, he meets Sandra (Vinessa Shaw), a girl-next-door type, who is also the daughter of his business partner. Then, he runs into Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow), a neighbor with whom he can share his weirdness.

Typically, a flaky cheater does not come off well. However, Leonard is a likable character. It certainly helps that Phoenix isn't donning his recent homeless look here. It can also be attributed to his acting talents.

Maybe that's why director James Gray has tapped into the power of Phoenix for a third time (The Yards and We Own the Night being the other collaborations) to make this mellow charmer. Despite the starpower in the two leads, it's not the type of film that people rush out to see -- not that they could have anyway, thanks to a limited release. Title notwithstanding, Two Lovers isn't a great love story, but it is a pretty interesting one.

The Picture

Two Lovers is a mellow movie, and it shows in this 2.40:1 transfer. The overall look is sort of gritty, with a lot of grain throughout. Also, most of the colors are pretty drab, especially in Leonard's room, his place of work (ooh... dry cleaning in HD!), and even during his dates. Leonard is a pretty drab guy, though, so why should his color palette be any different? Still, fleshtones are perfect and those dark colors come off nicely with a lot of details, especially inside the apartment.

The Sound

For a mellow flick, Two Lovers has a lot of thumping bass. Of course, most of the movie is dialogue, but the DTS-HD Master Audio does get its chance to shine during the opening scene, a random thunderstorm and at least one family party. There is also a club scene where the music comes off as almost too loud, especially in contrast to the rest of the movie. Speaking of loud, annoying things: How could Phoenix even consider a rap career? Did he not watch his rhyming efforts in this movie?

The Extras

Like most indie flicks, Two Lovers doesn't have a wealth of extra material outside of deleted scenes and still images. There are two very short making-of featurettes. The 7-minute "Behind the Scenes" short plays more like a movie recap from director James Gray, intertwined with film clips. HDNet's "A look at Two Lovers" is like an even more abbreviated version of the "Behind the Scenes" short, this time with actress Vinessa Shaw giving the summary.

Final Thoughts

Director James Gray's previous two efforts with Joaquin Phoenix may have done slightly better at the box office. However, if this is truly Phoenix's last performance, he knows how to go out with a bang. Two Lovers isn't the best choice for date night, but it is a good pick if you want to watch good acting. The Blu-ray doesn't add a whole lot to the equation, but certainly doesn't hurt and could be worth the extra cost if you appreciate high-def for more than explosions and car chases.

Where to Buy:

• Two Lovers on Blu-ray Disc (Amazon.com)

Product Details

• Actors: Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow, Vinessa Shaw, Moni Moshonov, Isabella Rossellini, Elias Koteas
• Director: James Gray
• Audio/Languages: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (English)
• Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
• Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
• Region: A
• Number of Discs: 1
• Rating: R
• Studio: Magnolia Home Entertainment
• Blu-ray Disc Release Date: June 16, 2009
• Run Time: 120 minutes
• List Price: $34.99
• Extras:
  • Commentary with Director James Gray
  • Behind the Scenes
  • Deleted Scenes
  • HDNet: A look at Two Lovers
  • Photo Gallery
  • Also from Magnolia Home Entertainment Blu-ray