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Today's Date is:

You Can Count On Me


Reviewed by: Tom Reynolds
Genre: Drama
Video: Widescreen Anamorphic 1.85:1
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 surround; Dolby surround
Language: English
Subtitle: English
Length: 110 mins.
Rating: R
Release Date: June 26, 2001
Studio: Paramount
Commentary: Director Kenneth Lonergan
Documentaries: None
Featurettes: "A Look Inside"
Filmography/Biography: None
Interviews: Included in featurette
Trailers/TV Spots: One theatrical trailer
Alternate/Deleted Scenes: None
Music Video: None
Other: None
Cast and Crew: Laura Linney, Mark Ruffalo, Matthew Broderick, Rory Culkin, Jon Tenney, Gaby Hoffman, J. Smith-Cameron, Kenneth Lonergan, Adam LeFevre
Screenplay by: Kenneth Lonergan
Produced by: Steve Carlis, Donald C. Carter, Barbara De Fina, John Hart, Larry Meistrich, Martin Scorsese, Jeff Sharp, Morton Swinsky
Directed By: Kenneth Lonergan
Music: Lesley Barber
The Review: Relationships and the problems faced by people just trying to get through the day and make some sense of their lives is explored in "You Can Count On Me," which stars Laura Linney as Samantha "Sammy" Prescott, a single mother living in a small town in New York State, who has worked at the same bank for seven years while raising her son, Rudy (Rory Culkin), on her own. Then one day her brother, Terry (Mark Ruffalo), whom she has not seen for sometime, shows up. He moves in with Sammy and Rudy, and for awhile provides Sammy with some help, especially with Rudy; it's a welcome respite from juggling her work schedule and trying to do it all herself. And it takes some of the pressure off, as her new boss, Brian Everett (Matthew Broderick), is a stickler who takes exception to Sammy having to leave early every day to pick up her son from school. At about this same time, however, an on-again-off-again relationship Sammy has had with a man named Bob Stegerson (Jon Tenney) begins to get complicated, while the situation at home starts to tweak in the wake of some questionable decisions made by Terry that involve Rudy. And-- as if all that weren't enough-- inexplicably, at work sparks suddenly begin to fly between Sammy and Brian. Lonergan does an excellent job of bringing his story to life. The Screenplay is well written and intelligent, and offers some real insight into the human condition by embracing the very flaws and foibles with which we are all endowed, and which we all must deal with in one way or another in our own lives. It's an engrossing, emotionally gripping film that presents very real characters and situations, and one of it's strengths is in the honesty, of not only the actions, but the "reactions" of the people playing out the drama. And it's that genuine sincerity at the core of the story that makes this film so effective and believable. Well directed and acted, it's quite simply an affecting and memorable film. Laura Linney has never been better than she is here, and deservedly received an Oscar nomination for her performance as Sammy. She has a thorough grasp of the character that makes her real-- this imperfect woman and mother coping with the stress in her life and just trying to do the best she can and what she thinks is right. Her portrayal acknowledges Sammy's strengths and vulnerability, as well as the fact that people change and relationships evolve; that what may have been right for her a year ago isn't necessarily what she needs today. Sammy is a complex character, and Linney convincingly takes her through a wide range of emotional levels that evokes empathy for her and makes her someone you care about. Terry is a complex character as well, a young man with a good heart, lacking perhaps some personal direction, but whose biggest fault may be that he cares too much and feels too deeply. And Ruffalo plays him perfectly. Like a young Brando, he hits every note just right in bringing Terry to life. He has a natural, charismatic and extremely engaging screen presence, and he is absolutely terrific in this role. He's a gifted actor from whom we can expect great things in the future. Lonergan delivers a tender and poignant story with something of a wistful ending, the impact of which is enhanced by the realism of the characters and situations. And there are humorous moments, as well, that evolve naturally from the story, just as they do in real life. In the end, this is transporting drama with which many will be able to identify, for the roads it travels are the same ones many of those who see it will have been down themselves.
Image and Sound Early in the film, there's a scene in which Sammy is driving into town, and as she heads down main street, the camera takes Sammy's POV and as you look ahead, you're treated to one of the most picturesque shots you'll ever want to see. You're looking down the street into the most beautiful blue sky you can imagine, and it acts as a kind of a canopy for this wonderful rural setting that is astoundingly alive with color. And the DVD captures it magnificently. The palette used in this film is brilliant, and the quality of the picture seems to give the colors a life of their own, and it brings the film to life; and that's the way it is from beginning to end. And it's breathtaking. The whole look of the film is vibrant, with the blues, reds and especially the various shades of green coming through with a deep richness and clarity that could not be better. During the scene in which Terry and Rudy Sr. square off, the colors are veritably stimulating; Terry' shirt is red, Rudy's is blue, and as they scuffle they're surrounded by a lush green background of trees and shrubs. The blood that runs down Rudy's arm looks like real blood, rather than the more pale, diluted look movie blood often has. And the scene in which Terry and Rudy are fishing from the bridge is like something out of a Monet. From a distance, you watch them as they hold their lines steady, surrounded by the greens of the countryside, all of which is reflected so clearly in the water. Near the end of the film, as Sammy and Terry sit together on the bench waiting for the bus (and again, set against a backdrop of lush greenery), the colors are so sharp and perfect that it enhances the mood and the drama of the story. The picture and the clarity of the images simply could not be better; the quality of this disc has not only maintained the integrity of the outstanding art direction and cinematography, but enhanced it. And the visual quality is equaled by the quality of the sound, as well. The dialogue is distinct, and the larger sounds and noises-- the cars, busses, the clattering of the trash cans during Terry and Rudy's fight, for example-- all come through perfectly, as well as the smaller sounds, like when Sammy sets down her wine glass and you can hear that very subtle, barely audible touching of the glass to the table, or the sounds of the insects that come alive in the night when Sammy walks out on the porch to look at the stars, and in the background you hear what sounds like a million crickets and katydids filling the night air. The picture and sound are so good, and integrated so well, that it gives the film an added sense of realism that makes this already exceptional movie even better.
The Extras "A Look Inside," features interviews with Kenneth Lonergan, Laura Linney, Mark Ruffalo, Matthew Broderick and Rory Culkin. Lonergan explains that the film actually began as a "Little, one-act play," about a brother and sister having lunch together (which became one of the early scenes in the film), and that he expanded it for the movie by adding the son and the relationship between him and Terry. He talks about Linney coming to mind immediately when they were casting, because she embodies so many of the characteristics that Sammy has-- plus the fact that she's beautiful. He also discusses Mark Ruffalo and his character, Terry. He appreciates Ruffalo's spontaneity and the way he interacts with other actors, whether he's working on stage or screen. He feels that Broderick's character, Brian Everett, is a man confined by life's circumstances; he's married, about to have a baby, he's an ambitious guy who's been assigned to a very small town bank, just trying to make the best of it, and like all the characters in the film he's pushing against the constraints of the life he's ended up in. Lonergan sees the film as a story about what people do when they're not getting enough guidance from above, and points out that there's a level at which everybody in life realizes at some point that "The grown-ups don't have all the answers." The theme of parentlessness is riddled throughout the film because, he says, it's not so much about parents failing their children, it's just that nobody has any idea of what's going on, so parents, children, everybody, are just kind of making it up as they go along. And the best way to dramatize that, he feels, is to have characters who literally have no parents. Linney speaks of being attracted to the film initially by the script, which was so sound and so beautifully developed at such an early stage, with rich characters and relationships that were "so simple yet extremely moving." She also talks of developing a background for Sammy, and certain traits she incorporated into the character. Her favorite part of the movie, she says, was working with Ruffalo and Lonergan-- she fell into a real sibling relationship with Ruffalo, which was fun since she never had a real brother; but if she did, she would want it to be him. She is also outspoken about what a great job she thinks Lonergan did putting the film together, and that when she saw how it came out, she couldn't believe it. Ruffalo talks about his character, about what went into Terry's personality, what his background is, who he is, and the fact that nothing means anything to him because of the loss of his parents at such an early age. He mentions that he loves the scene in which Sammy confesses to him that she's been intimate with her boss. Broderick discusses his character, Brian, and his relationship with Sammy, which is something he sees as a complication in her life. He also feels that Brian is bad in a way; his wife hates him, and he takes it out on Sammy. Rory Culkin has some brief comments about his character, Rudy, but the most interesting thing about Culkin's spot is how mature and impressively articulate he comes across for his age (he was nine-going-on-ten when he made this film). Much of what is covered here is also addressed in the commentary by Lonergan, but of course it's always interesting to see and hear the actors themselves discussing their own characters, as well as getting their take on the film itself. This is a fairly brief segment, but all in all, it's interesting and well worth watching.
Commentary This commentary track, by Kenneth Lonergan, moves into a tie for first place on my all time favorites list, along with Jodie Foster's track on "Contact." I like it for a number of reasons; first of all, Lonergan makes you feel right at home, like you're sitting in your living room with him while he fills you in on his latest project, and when he's finished, it'll be your turn (I can almost picture Ray Bradbury and Ray Harryhausen as youngsters, sitting around dreaming and sharing their latest creations with one another). Lonergan is just so accessible and very self-assured about saying what he means and meaning what he says. And rather than simply taking you through the film scene by scene and discussing it in the usual format (not that there is anything wrong with that, especially if it's done right, the way Rob Reiner, for example, did it with "A Few Good Men"), he addresses it in terms of the characters and what the various situations they encounter in the film mean to them-- as if they were very real people-- and this is actually part of the attraction of the film itself, because this aspect of Lonergan's persona certainly has been incorporated into his film, and it's one of the reasons it's so good. With exceptional insight, worthy of Thackeray or Dostoevsky, Lonergan stays focused on the characters and the context of the story, and presents an intelligent examination of what the film is really "about," what's really going on, as opposed to merely what's "happening." Listening to him, one gets the feeling that as a director he must be a dream for an actor to work with, given the kind of motivation he is capable of supplying. And the fact that he considers the sub text of his material so seriously also says a lot about why this film is so good; he dismisses nothing out-of-hand. He realizes that a lot of the dynamics of this film came from his personal experiences, though nothing that is directly traceable to his family history; there was no literal brother/sister relationship that he had. He says it's just a matter of the imagination picking on some little situation and using it as fodder for what's eating you inside, and he always seems to express it in terms of a brother/sister relationship. He talks about including the brief scene of the parents at the beginning of the film because he felt it was important that the audience get to know them at least a little bit; to show that they had a sense of humor. He also felt that by having the cop come to the door with the bad news after the accident-- the same cop who later has a history with Terry as an adolescent-- by having him appear helped create that small town atmosphere he wanted to establish. On a literal level, he points out that when the cop comes to the door and doesn't know what to say, it's kind of a key note for the whole movie; he just wanted to show that the cop doesn't know what to do either, and that's what the movie is about-- people trying to figure out what to do with life, and with tragedy in life. It's very interesting to hear Lonergan waxing philosophically about his personal beliefs concerning fate: He doesn't see or believe that there are great "cosmic reasons for things that happen," like people getting killed in an earthquake, or why certain people fall in love-- just random things-- or one overall cosmic reason, unless there is an overall cosmic reason for "everything," which he says is "Way beyond me." He believes in "Lots of things," but not that there is a higher power guiding human affairs. He relates the fact that Rory Culkin-- whom he describes as a natural, amazing actor-- hated to smile or laugh on camera, but when it came to being sullen he was great with it. He discusses Linney's character, Sammy, and her look; he wanted to make sure that Linney, who is beautiful, didn't look "too" beautiful, or at least not too glamorous. People in small towns can certainly be attractive, just like anywhere else, he concedes, but there is a certain "Big city glamour," a New York, L.A. kind of glamorous sophistication that they just don't have, and Sammy certainly wouldn't. And he feels that a lot of movies "cheat" and make people too good looking, but a lot of times they don't, and he wanted to be one of the ones who didn't. He talks about Sammy and Terry's viewpoints on small town life-- that to Terry, it's a trap, but to Sammy it's a very secure, solid base that's very confining. Lonergan thinks that problems like not having a babysitter weigh in heavily on people's lives, and having a boss who won't allow fifteen minutes to pick up your kid and take him to the babysitter is a big problem for somebody who doesn't have someone else to pick the kid up-- it's dramatic, and that's why he put it in the movie. In discussing the look of the film, he realizes that there was much more they could have done as far as camera angles and lighting, but when laying down the parameters of what he wanted, he used the film "Coal Miner's Daughter," as an example because of it's naturalistic, almost documentary-style look, but not quite, because the shots were all so carefully planned. And that's the look he wanted for his film. He doesn't think he could've made this film with a major studio, without at least "pasteurizing" some of Terry's personality, which he feels is too bad, because a lot of people in the business who have seen the movie like it just for the reasons that they would have objected to before it was made. And he feels that's a really evil trend-- that there's such a terror that the characters won't be absolutely lovable from start to finish that they all become extremely boring; or if they start out with a bad personality, you know that they're going to turn into saints before it's over, and it's "Just so predictable and almost insulting to everyone's intelligence." And he feels that-- though it may be boring to say-- real life is dramatic and interesting. People who are really troubled are difficult, and if you sugarcoat what's troubled about them, and make them too romantic, it's not believable and then you lose all the drama. If Terry, for instance, is just a lovable goof-up who wouldn't really do anything bad, then who cares? He's no longer a human being, and then you don't like him for the characteristics you want people to like him for. This guy, he points out, is in real trouble, and he's supposed to be in real trouble, one of his problems is that he causes a lot of trouble. And so if you don't have him causing real trouble, impregnating nearly under-aged girls and then being very tempted to abandon them, you don't have anything. He talks in-depth about looking for that sub text of a scene-- looking for the behavior, because to him that's the really interesting thing. It doesn't matter what the language is if there's not human behavior, and the most interesting things happen when actors really get something going between themselves-- and all he ever tries to do as a director, is help that process along. He has some interesting things to say about being a writer, and how he wanted to be a playwright since the ninth grade; he never particularly wanted to write movies-- though he liked movies-- and started doing it only to make a living when he was twenty-eight or twenty-nine. Theaters, he says, are fun, and he likes writing dialogue a lot, and he very quickly got to like the process of watching actors embody something that he'd only imagined, which he calls a "Very unique experience." It is, he says, extremely exciting and stimulating collaborating with people, of having an idea of a person in a situation and then seeing it brought to life and having other people imbue it with their ideas and their imagination. And then you bring in an audience who sees it and they imbue it with their ideas and imagination-- and Lonergan feels that it's simply a wonderful form of human communication. And what's so wonderful about this commentary is the fact that Lonergan can discuss so many different aspects of not only this particular film, but of human nature and life in general, and place it all within the context of this story. By the end, you have such a sense of who these characters are and what really makes them tick, that they really do seem like real people-- people you've known for a long time. Lonergan is so knowledgeable and articulate that it makes this track not only informative, but entertaining and extremely satisfying, as well. It's a terrific addition to this disc, and a great companion feature to the movie itself. Simply put: It's Excellent.
Final Words: "You Can Count On Me" was unequivocally one of the best films of the year (2000), highlighted by the extraordinary performances by Laura Linney and Mark Ruffalo. Emotionally involving and visually captivating, it's quite simply an unforgettable experience, and the quality of this DVD makes it all the more stunning and stimulating, and the commentary track by Lonergan is worthy of an award all by itself. This is a great movie and a great DVD-- one you're going to want to add to your own library. And it's all a part of the magic of the movies.


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 July 5, 2001