Waste of time

A waste of 90 minutes of my life

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

This movie captured something I'd rarely seen on screen before - the power of friendship beteeen women when they are at their most beautiful and self-centered stage. The director, Nicole Holofcenter, caught the characters in that moment in life, looking for love or connection, negotiating the thing you want and the person in front of you. And almost missing the fact that the real relationships of consequence at that moment is with your friends. This film is so perfect. So honest. And then there Billy Bragg as the soundtrack. What more perfect expression of that moment?

I stumbled upon this on Showtime cable, sitting in a hotel room in Kingston, Jam, nursing a nasty little virus and seeking some cheering up. What a lovely surprise. As another reviewer says, beautifully written, well acted, unpretentious and just very simply appealing. I'm really too old for voyages of discovery and young love but the stunning soundtrack featuring the wonderfully eloquent Billy Bragg evoked so many lovely memories for me. Curious how a cockney poet's music can work with an American romance...but it did. A real gem to watch on your own, with a partner or a good friend and, if you don't have a virus, a good glass of red wine.

Hip, witty, likable precursor to Sex and the City. The film has a Woody Allen feel, but with a 90s feminist slant. Set in New York City, the camera follows the romantic trials and tribulations of its two lead females (in two exquisite performances from Keener and Heche). The dialog is bristling with insight and vigor unlike many films of that era that Hollywood mass produced as so -called romantic comedies. Yet this film is much more than a romantic comedy. Inspired by Woody Allen's more intimate and small-scale New York films, it adds its own voice to that tradition. This is definitely on of the better indie comedies of the 1990s, and stands the test of time even after the demise of Sex and the City.

While an observation of New York neuroses hardly breaks new ground, the characters as drawn by writer/director Nicole Holofcener are interesting enough to keep us engrossed in this charming, sometimes moving comedy.A New York drama critic faulted Catherine Keener in a stage performance for not acting, but for being just herself. Keener is perhaps not the most versatile performer, but she's always compelling on screen and even just "being herself" is more than enough.Holofcener has a way with actors coaxing credible and funny performances from all. It's a very talky affair with not enough meat on it to make a lasting impression. But her talent is crystal clear. She's way above most other independent directors with an assured feel for dialog and formidable directing skills.