She Came to Me

This film gives me hope that there are still writers/actors/producers out there who understand what I need in a movie. I'm NOT the demographic anymore. So Gems like this are hard for me to find.

The film is unique! With a tugboat, (with female captain) opera theater, (with composer) and a psychiatrist with O. C. D.

I LOVED the characters. Imperfect but well intended characters who each come to a greater awareness of what is needed to be more fulfilled and happy.

This film has heart. It's subject matter about real emotions set in a quirky set of circumstances is very relatable and heartwarming. Reminiscent of good ole fashioned story telling that touches the soul.

Something I desperately needed.

P. S./added edit.....I was unfamiliar with the director, Rebecca Miller. Without making any connections, I had actually seen one of her movies years ago that I thought was brilliant with Daniel Day Lewis. And am now, halfway thru her 2016 movie. She has a very clear point of view. And it's very relatable to me as a woman who has said and thought some of the same ideas that Ms. Miller explores in her movies. I'm such a fan!!! Looking forward to catching up on her past films and hope she has more coming!

It's a romantic comedy-drama set in current times in Brooklyn, New York. It follows the experiences and interactions of two completely different families and a tugboat captain.

Steven Lauddem (Peter Dinklage) is an insecure composer facing a deadline for a new opera with no inspiration for a storyline. He's married to Patricia (Anne Hathaway), a therapist who's a clean freak and a closet devout Catholic. She has a bright 18-year-old son, Julian (Evan Ellison), from her first marriage. She had separated from Julian's father, but he had subsequently died. They have a dog named Levi.

Magdalena Szyskowski (Joanna Kulig) is a Polish who works as a cleaning lady. She has a 16-year-old daughter, Tereza (Harlow Jane), from her first husband. She is not married to the man she's living with, Trey Ruffa (Brian d'Arcy James), but he has adopted Tereza. Trey is a court stenographer and an extreme Civil War reenactor.

We learn early on that Julian and Tereza are boyfriend-girlfriend and that Magdalena is the new cleaning lady for Steven and Patricia. None of the adults are happy when they learn of Julian & Tereza's relationship, especially Trey. We also discover that Steven suddenly gets inspiration for his opera from an encounter with tugboat captain Katrina Trento (Marisa Tomei).

"She Came to Me" follows the characters' interactions through three love stories, two of which are surprising but are clearly telegraphed as the plot unfolds. All the primary actors are excellent, especially Dinklage, Tomei, and Ellison. The story is clever and fun.

It can be a musician, an artist, a play or a film. It leaves you baffled. Liking it, is just the bonus.

The roles resemble a box of frogs. Everybody is hiding behind a curtain of creative or functional normal. Only Katrina, who in theory is the maddest of all, has the real sole and sanity. She is the most sincere.

The film jingles along - dysfunctional and baffling until that moment in the bar when Katrina interrupts sullen Steven. Immediately the chemistry kicks in. Once again Marisa Tomei edges a film.. never obvious. I couldn't issue a plethora of spoilers, as half the time I was grappling with the odd plot. Rebecca Miller directs, produces and writes a challenging and thought provoking parable ? This is a slow burner.

Thank heavens I didn't let the 6.0 rating deter me from going ahead to see this. I went in almost blind cos I didn't focus much on the plot but I saw the trailer and i was determined to see it regardless of what the critics say and boy was that a spot on decision.

Everything about it works for me and I really don't like romantic movies but it wasn't even that. It had this subtleness about it with the occasional humor that actually made me laugh once or twice but smiled a lot.

The cast was perfect. I almost feel like a different cast might not have done justice to what the script was trying to portray.

In truth maybe it's more like an eight not a ten, but I have to compensate for the crime of it being rated only a six. It deserves so much more than that!

I love this movie because the characters are strange, and yes okay maybe exaggerated as movies tend to be, but actually authentic at the heart of it. Each of them are laugh out loud absurd, but also somehow remind me of someone I know in various ways. This movie captures how sweet it is to be young and in love. It captures how it feels to think that part of your life is over, and be wrong. And it does it in such a strange and original way. I'm sorry I just love it, start to finish.