The fourth film from writer/director James Gray, and perhaps the most interesting filmmaker working in the United States at the moment, Two Lovers is a wonderful take on the romantic drama, as well as a step in a different direction for Gray. Perhaps best known for his ensemble dramas, dramas that evoke an uncanny likeness to the gritty American films of the late 1970′s, Two Lovers maintains the stylistic undertones of Gray’s earlier work, but strays into an insular story of one man’s mental illness, and his relationship with those around them. The film is steeped in metaphor, with the eponymous two lovers representative of our lead characters mental state as much as they are traditional characters.

Two Lovers tells the story of Leonard (Gray regular Joaquin Phoenix), an occasionally suicidal batchelor that lives with his parents in Brooklyn. Having moved back to his family home under mysterious circumstances (although hinted at heavily in the films opening sequence in which our protagonist attempts to kill himself) Leonard meets “the nice girl” in the shape of Sandra (Vinessa Shaw), the daughter of the man taking over Leonard’s family business. In a coincidence that borders on almost biblical levels of moral suggestion, Leonard meets “the bad girl” Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow) at roughly the same time, throwing his emotional state into disarray. The story follows Leonard as he fleets between the two girls, a series of acts which mirror his development throughout the film.

“James Gray’s powerfully emotional dramas have such a distinctive, deliberate quality; Gray has always been a craftsman working with heavy materials, very different from Hollywood’s lightweight alloy.” Peter Bradshaw.

The film opens with a beautifully shot harbour-based suicide attempt, which sets the tone for the rest of the film in terms of the cinematography. Two Lovers is a stunning looking film, with the “rooftop” scenes, in which each one is shot in a different manner being the highlights. The finale, in which a distraught Leonard wanders through an externally empty New York on New Years eve, with the deep focus matte drawing the eye to the internal celebrations occurring that evening impresses greatly, and works well as a visual display of the emotional climax of the piece. The stark nature of the cinematography is heavily reminiscent of the films that have clearly influenced Gray, as is the central performance of Joaquin Phoenix, which brings to mind heavily Dog Day Afternoon-era Al Pacino and early Robert De Niro. Its a staggering performance, and one that reinforces the notion that Phoenix really is something rather special.

While the film looks and plays outstandingly, the key to the success of the film is the overarching emotional crux that the film rests upon. The rawness of it all is painful at times, with the inevitability of Leonard’s decisions  jarring with that of the audiences hopes and expectations. There’s a wonderful moment late on, whereby Leonard has the emotional showdown with his mother (Isabella Rossellini) that has been alluded to throughout the picture, that appears to channel the feelings of the audience in its willingness to address Leonard; While we want him to be happy, we can’t help but assume the worst. In a way, the manner in which the films ultimate finale is presented to us is a happy ending, in spite of the ordeal that our protagonist has followed throught. The mental problem that plagues Leonard is never fully addressed, but only alluded to in his medication routine and his personal nature. I found that the removal of certain scenes displaying Leonard’s “creepier” habits were ultimately omitted from the film to be a good thing, as the balance between creepy and endearing was straddled nicely in the finished product.

A genuinely great piece of modern cinema, Two Lovers is a piece of work from one of the most interesting actor/director combinations of recent years.