Walking and Talking (1996)

the audience applauded

That was an excellent one.

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

The story-telling is good with flashbacks.The film is both funny and heartbreaking. You smile in a scene and get a soulcrushing revelation in the next.

I stumbled upon this on Showtime cable, sitting in a hotel room in Kingston, Jam, nursing a nasty little virus and seeking some cheering up. What a lovely surprise. As another reviewer says, beautifully written, well acted, unpretentious and just very simply appealing. I'm really too old for voyages of discovery and young love but the stunning soundtrack featuring the wonderfully eloquent Billy Bragg evoked so many lovely memories for me. Curious how a cockney poet's music can work with an American romance...but it did. A real gem to watch on your own, with a partner or a good friend and, if you don't have a virus, a good glass of red wine.

Some relationships between childhood friends endure the passage of time, as it's the case with Laura and Amelia, who as the film opens are seen as young girls. After some years they have met again as adults and their friendship has a different kind of meaning to both, if anything it is stronger than before. Whereas Amelia has found love and is graduating for a professional career as a therapist, Laura, on the oder hand, has found a job in a newspaper, but her love life leaves a lot to be desired.Nicole Holofcener, the director, takes us to meet these two women as they go through their lives in present day Manhattan. Having seen this film when it made its commercial debut, we decided to take another look after almost ten years of being released and we can report the film is still fresh and quirky as when we first saw it. The director, whose "Lovely and Amazing" was also a worthy successor, treats her subjects with a light touch and the result is a film that gives the viewer a good insight about human relations in a cinematic form.The best thing going for the film is lovely Catherine Keener, who is an asset no matter what she is playing. Ms. Keener seems to be a natural for the movies. The camera loves this actress who has a style of her own and who, in comedies such as this, makes perfect sense as her directors clearly capitalize on her uncanny sense of how to play the quirky characters in which she has excelled.Anne Heche, on the other hand, makes a perfect Amelia come true. Ms. Heche is a good actress that always brings something to the roles she plays. Amelia, the young woman in this film, is at a point in her life where she has to make decisions about her relationship with Frank, who clearly adores her, and her own career as a therapist.The supporting roles are basically the men in the two friends' lives. There is Frank, who is living with Amelia. He wants her to commit and marry him, but she has doubts before she says yes. Todd Field makes a good impression as Frank. Bill, the video store clerk likes Laura, but feels betrayed when he hears a message Amelia has left on the answering machine where she calls him ugly; he takes offense and decides to drop Laura. Kevin Corrigan is perfect playing this man. Finally there is Andrew, an old flame of Laura's who has broken up with her some time ago, but has remained friends. Liev Schreiber is good in this part."Walking and Talking" shows a talented Nicole Holofcener at her best. The film shows us a director who knows a lot about the complicated balance of the relationship between two caring friends.

I saw this movie years ago when it first came out on video, when I was in my mid-twenties (I immediately bought the VHS copy to own). I just watched it again at 35, and love it just as much now as I did then (I am ordering the DVD on Amazon). One of the best movies about relationships period, whether it be in set in the 90's, this decade or beyond. It is never cliché, never dated, and features a dream cast with chemistry to boot. It is funny, moving, and absolutely believable. The performances by Heche, Keener and Schreiber are top-notch, and it was good to see Randall Batinkoff in a small role as a struggling actor/waiter. A short and sweet gem of a movie, a definite must-see.

To be honest, I was dreading this movie. I watched it purely on a recommendation. Nevertheless, I was pleasantly surprised. Nicole doesn't an excellent job with her characters. You like all of them. It was cute. It makes you think about friendship. And, this coming from a guy.