Love Is Strange

At one point in Love Is Strange, the film's central couple, Ben and George, reunite after days of separation. George (Alfred Molina) collapses into his partner's arms and sobs silently, while Ben (John Lithgow) holds him as you would a small child. Across the room, another couple watches—dumbfounded, awkward, helpless. So it is in this lovely film: The couple that lives apart feels true closeness, while the couple under the same roof cannot comprehend such love.

As Love Is Strange opens, Ben and George are getting married. They have a head start on most newlyweds: They've been together more than 30 years and already inhabit a fabulous New York City co-op apartment. But when George loses his job as music director at a Catholic school—the church opposes the marriage—the couple finds they cannot support their old lifestyle. They call a meeting of friends and family, in which it's decided that Ben will bunk with his nephew Elliot and his wife, Kate, and George will stay with friends.

To his credit, director Ira Sachs trots out none of the expected cinematic tropes. George never really petitions for his job back, and despite centering on a gay couple, the film doesn't devolve into an "issues" movie. Infidelity never occurs, at least not explicitly. Instead, Ben and George maintain their love, their strength juxtaposed against Elliot and Kate's discord.

Elliot (Darren E. Burrows) is a detached father and husband, while Kate (Marisa Tomei, pitch-perfect) tolerates Ben's presence in her home with barely veiled annoyance. In a scene of cringe-worthy comic relief, Kate tries to work on her new book as Ben chatters away, complaining that he'd like to paint but cannot. "It's impossible for me to work with other people around," he says. Tomei remains silent, but her face says it all.

Elliot and Kate's marriage, meanwhile, is full of unspoken but tangible resentments, many of which swirl around their 16-year-old son, Joey (an impressively sour Charlie Tahan). Thanks to Sachs' subtle hand, familiar teenage issues—moodiness, toxic friends—get new life.

Lingering close-ups and melancholy classical music contribute to the film's calm, introspective tone. While Love Is Strange might not surprise—the film's title, after all, is hardly a revelatory statement—this beautifully acted story is a wonder in itself.

Critic's Grade:  A-

SEE IT: Love Is Strange is rated R. It opens Friday at Fox Tower.

WWeek 2015