Year: 2013

Runtime: 93 Minutes

Director: Nicole Holofcener

Writer: Nicole Holofcener

Stars: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, James Gandolfini, Catherine Keener, Toni Collette

By Ariana Martinez

“Love is Worth Living For, Enough Said.”

As we reach the final months of 2019, it is a moment of reflection, specifically through In Their Own League’s Top 50 Films of the Decade Countdown. Number 49 is Nicole Holofcener’s film “Enough Said” (2013) a story about divorcee Eva (Julia Louise-Dreyfus) navigating a new relationship with a man named Albert (James Gandolfini) as her daughter prepares to leave for college. How does “Enough Said” manage to make it in the top 50 so close to the wire? What makes it so distinct in ten years worth of film?

At first glance, it may seem easy to dismiss this film as one meant for a certain audience: adults who can relate to marriage, especially a failed one, and saying goodbye to their children. However, once you allow yourself to peer into Eva’s life, this seemingly narrow tale of experience becomes one so vulnerable, you can’t help but see yourself in it.

What She Said:

“Enough Said is Nicole Holofcener’s best yet – it’s what we wanted from the new Bridget Jones book, a smart comedy about dating in your 50s.”

Cath Clarke, Time Out

Twitter: @CathxClarke

Eva and Albert connect as parents both unwilling to submit to the excitement of their children leaving home. They are both divorced and struggle with the idea of their own loneliness, and not simply on a parental level but on a romantic one as well. When Eva discovers that her new friend Marianne (who can’t help but constantly bad-mouth her former husband) is actually Albert’s ex-wife, she questions if Albert really is as wonderful as she thought he was, or as horrible as Marianne claims he is.

With this, the film tackles the idea of relationships, romantic or otherwise, and how we as individuals treat the ones we care about most. It is this dynamic story of romance and parenthood that makes “Enough Said” as special as it is.

What She Said:

“Enough Said” is a dynamite romcom. There isn’t an onscreen couple with better, more realistic chemistry than James Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus”

Lindsay Pugh, Woman in Revolt

Twitter: @lindsayrpugh

When Eva and Albert’s relationship begins, they are like kids. Their first kiss is so sweet and innocent and they go in for a second one like two teenagers who can’t keep their hands off each other. However, it is the looming uncertainty of making the same mistake and falling blindly in love with someone who is not right for you that threatens Eva’s happiness. She is torn between letting herself fall in love the way a teenager would, hopeful and passionate, and the way an adult would, methodical and wary.

Eva’s relationship with her daughter Ellen acts as a subplot, addressing this same theme of youth and adulthood. Ellen is an incoming college freshman, someone who has absolutely no idea what life holds, both the good and the bad. And yet, there is something beautiful about that.

What She Said:

“For all of us who’ve been waiting way too long for a smart, funny, snappy romantic comedy for grown-ups – here it is.“

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times

Twitter:@moiraverse

“Enough Said” teaches us to embrace the unknown because a life lived in your own head is a lonely one. It is our relationships that make life worth living and though things may come to an end, that does not necessarily have to be a negative aspect of life.  No matter what stage of life you are in, love, in all its forms, is a sensation worth letting yourself enjoy no matter how scary that may seem, and that is the film’s most meaningful message.

The Extra Bits:

Where to Watch:

ITunes: Rent & Buy

Amazon: Rent & Buy

YouTube: Rent & Buy

Who to Follow:

Julia Louis-Dreyfus @OfficialJLD