Director Nicole Holofcenter’s storytelling passions lie within the intricate relationships of complex people who, in essence, are just trying to get through the day with a bit happiness. So it was great to see Enough Said receive its share of Critics Choice nominations, and James Gandolfini was named Best Supporting Actor by the Boston Society of Film Critics (Holofcenter also received the BSFC award for Best Screenplay).
Enough Said (PG-13, 93 minutes) centers on a masseuse named Eva (Louis-Dreyfus) who becomes enamored with Albert (Gandolfini), a fellow divorce who’s blessed with a great combination of dry wit and kindness. Their gradual coupling is thrown for a curve after Eva discovers a narcissistic but well meaning client (frequent Holofcenter collaborator Catherine Keener) is Albert’s ex-wife. Toni Collette also stars as Sarah, Eva’s best friend whose chemistry with her hubby (Ben Falcone) comes from a highly argumentative place. Eve Hewson, the daughter of Bono, also is featured as Albert’s daughter Tess.
As in her previous works Friends with Money and Please Give, Enough Said illustrates how seemingly disparate individuals eventually stumble upon real, human connection. Holofcenter refuses to paint her characters in broad strokes, instead relying on life’s small moments for a subtle mixture of comedy and resonance.
My only complaint regarding the Enough Said Blu-ray is the disc comes with just several featurettes and a trailer. They do give a slight peek into Holofcenter’s working world, but an in-depth commentary from the filmmaker and its cast would have been welcome. Still, that’s a small price to pay since the film stands on its own merits, and at least fans can digitally download the movie on their respective device.
One of my favorite Enough Said exchanges takes place during the movie’s first act, as Eva attends a party and meets a new contact (Keener).
Enough Said is now out on Blu-ray and DVD.
