Two Lovers | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

82% Tomatometer 170 Reviews 59% Audience Score 50,000+ Ratings

Following a broken engagement, sometime photographer Leonard Kraditor (Joaquin Phoenix) moves in with his parents in Brighton Beach. He soon becomes involved with Sandra (Vinessa Shaw), an honest and sensible young woman. They appear to be a perfect match, then Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow) enters the picture. Beautiful but manipulative, she wraps him around her finger, even though she has a rich, married boyfriend. Read More Read Less

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Two Lovers

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Critics Consensus

Two Lovers is a complex, intriguing, richly-acted romantic drama.

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Critics Reviews

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Two Lovers | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Simran Hans New Statesman What's striking about this particular entry in the Phoenix-as-isolated-eccentric canon is its flavour of defeated animal loneliness. Feb 3, 2021 Full Review Two Lovers | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Richard Brody New Yorker Joaquin Phoenix stars-and delivers his most self-scourging performance-in James Gray's taut and melancholy Brighton Beach romance. Apr 14, 2020 Full Review Two Lovers | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Hank Sartin Time Out Rated: 4/5 Nov 18, 2011 Full Review Two Lovers | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Mitchell Beaupre Paste Magazine No film has captured how we idealize others in relationships better than Two Lovers. Rated: 9.5/10 Mar 20, 2024 Full Review Two Lovers | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review Gray gives us nothing to cling to emotionally, and so he leaves the audience floating in the indifference of open space, hoping for something worthwhile to happen that might make us care. Rated: 2/4 Dec 15, 2023 Full Review Two Lovers | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Taylor Baker Drink in the Movies Episode 49: Hustlers / Ad Astra / Two Lovers / ALTIPLANO Rated: 78/100 Oct 18, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (1000+) audience reviews

helder f This is a story that is way too well known to many lovers. Like the song goes, everyone plays the fool sometimes. One watches the movie like one would watch a friend or even one's past self makes mistakes for loving the wrong person. And scene after scene we know the story will not end well… the characters and their flaws are really clear. In that movie is very successful. The problem I had with the movie is that just like in real life the story is repetitive and tedious for those who are not involved in. We see the characters and their dramas very well and very early in the movie , so that after that, the movie just drags somehow. Having said that, the end is a bit surprising. Both Michelle and Leonard have interesting similarities. Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/14/24 Full Review Hossein M Everything works out in the end :) Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/19/23 Full Review Jeremy M Maybe I'm biased towards a lot of things in this film, but it really hit home with me. Would definitely recommend it. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 06/26/23 Full Review Aaron S This is a very intriguing romantic drama that focuses more on the emotional health of its interesting characters more than their love stories. Joaquin Phoenix's Leonard feels like a little kid sometimes. Completely unable to understand his emotions and desires and seems to blow with the wind despite where it may lead him. His love interests are a little less complex but are still well conceived characters with their own motivations and are just plot pieces for Leonard's story. Overall, Two Lovers is good and worth a watch, but not a must-see by any means. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 04/20/23 Full Review GM M It's very good but I wished he'd kept walking. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 04/07/23 Full Review isla s This is quite nice, subtle romantic drama. Joaquin gives a good, low key performance and the characters are interesting - they all have their own issues, good and bad points. There's some shaky camerawork and its a bit slow to build, plot pace wise I suppose but I enjoyed watching it and I thought it was a good film. I recommend this film, yes. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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Cast & Crew

James Gray Director Joaquin Phoenix Leonard Kraditor Gwyneth Paltrow Michelle Rausch Vinessa Shaw Sandra Cohen Isabella Rossellini Ruth Kraditor Elias Koteas Ronald Blatt
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Two Lovers

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Synopsis Following a broken engagement, sometime photographer Leonard Kraditor (Joaquin Phoenix) moves in with his parents in Brighton Beach. He soon becomes involved with Sandra (Vinessa Shaw), an honest and sensible young woman. They appear to be a perfect match, then Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow) enters the picture. Beautiful but manipulative, she wraps him around her finger, even though she has a rich, married boyfriend.

Director
James Gray

Producer
Donna Gigliotti, James Gray, Anthony Katagas

Screenwriter
James Gray, Ric Menello

Distributor
Magnolia Pictures

Production Co
Tempesta Films, 2929 Productions

Rating
R (Language|Brief Drug Use|Some Sexuality)

Genre
Drama, Romance

Original Language
English

Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 13, 2009, Limited

Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 15, 2015

Box Office (Gross USA)
$3.1M

Runtime
1h 49m
Most Popular at Home Now
Two Lovers | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

FAQs

What is the point of the movie The Killing of Two Lovers? ›

Synopsis The Killing of Two Lovers follows David, who desperately tries to keep his family of six together during a separation from his wife, Nikki. They both agree to see other people but David struggles to grapple with his wife's new relationship.

Is Two Lovers worth watching? ›

Joaquin Phoenix stars-and delivers his most self-scourging performance-in James Gray's taut and melancholy Brighton Beach romance. Fresh score. But the true beauty of Two Lovers is the tightly constructed plot and accurately conceived emotions of this engaging ensemble piece. Fresh score.

What is the movie Two Lovers about? ›

Is there a movie called Torn Between Two Lovers? ›

Torn Between Two Lovers is a 1979 American TV movie. 97 min.

What happens at the end of Two Lovers? ›

Two weeks later, Michelle meets Leonard on the roof of their building and tells him that she has broken up with Ronald and is going to San Francisco. Leonard tells her not to leave and professes his love for her. They have sex and plan to leave together the next day for San Francisco.

What state does the killing of two lovers take place? ›

In a rural Utah town, David, a father of four, grapples with his separation from wife Nikki. Nikki has started a relationship with her co-worker Derek, sparking intense emotions in David.

What is the story of Two Lovers point? ›

Folktale. A popular Guam folktale recounts how two lovers who were not allowed to be together by society tied their hair and leapt to their deaths from Puntas Dos Amantes rather than be apart.

Where was the movie Two Lovers filmed? ›

Joaquin Phoenix on location filming "Two Lovers" November 15, 2007 in the Brighton Beach area of Brooklyn, New York City. Joaquin Phoenix on location filming "Two Lovers" November 15, 2007 in the Brighton Beach area of Brooklyn, New York City.

What is the plot of the movie The Lover? ›

How does the movie Torn Between Two Lovers end? ›

In the closing minutes, she tearfully breaks up with her lover Paul to seek reconciliation with her husband and family. She later approaches her husband Ted at his workplace to say she has done this and hopes she and he can be together.

Who sang torn between two lovers in the 70s? ›

In 1977, Gracie Rivera recorded "Torn Between Two Lovers" as the first track for her debut album, Gracie. The song became a hit with Hongkongers and carved her name in their music scene in the '70s.

Is there a movie more beautiful than broken? ›

A broken FBI agent, suspended from her job and struggling with the loss of her mother, travels to the small mountain town she used to visit as a child. She is befriended by a special needs boy who possesses the extraordinary gift of healing others through his unbroken spirit and unique outlook on life.

What is the story of two lovers point? ›

Folktale. A popular Guam folktale recounts how two lovers who were not allowed to be together by society tied their hair and leapt to their deaths from Puntas Dos Amantes rather than be apart.

What is the point of the movie The Lover? ›

Based on the semi-autobiographical novel of Marguerite Duras, who was born in French colonial Vietnam, this film chronicles the sexual awakening of a young French girl who falls passionately in love with a Chinese scion of a rich trading family who have his marriage already arranged.

What is the movie about the two suicidal men? ›

On the Count of Three is a 2021 American dark comedy drama film directed by Jerrod Carmichael (in his feature directorial debut) and written by Ari Katcher and Ryan Welch. It stars Carmichael and Christopher Abbott as two best friends who make a suicide pact and spend their final day taking care of unfinished business.

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