Save your money for something good and enjoyable

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

Realistic and beautifully rendered view into the various stages and types of relationships. Brilliant acting. My goodness, what an incredible loss that we no longer have Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Philip Seymour Hoffman's directorial debut and the only one so far. As an old man who been out of the "dating scene" for some time, I could completely sympathize with Jack. Being set up with a blind date and not knowing what to expect. Some say the pace of this film was too slow. It's about being in no hurry, like dating used to be (a long time ago). Clyde and Lucy, Jack friends, are in a long relationship. Jack sees them as happy and he sees in Connie his chance to be like them. He slowly woos her, ready to change almost everything about himself to succeed. When he finds out he has won her heart, he's not surprised it's nothing like his friends' relationship at all. Clyde and Lucy have a few problems that Jack becomes aware of throughout the movie. (Things he really didn't want to know.) After the dinner scene I waited for the line either Jack or Connie could have said, "I don't want us to be like them".

Perhaps the best way to watch Seymour's movie is without knowing a word about it as I did, and being enchanted by the magic on this film filled with the lights and shadows that can be found in two love parallel stories. Four characters played deeply by all the actors/actresses that carry you to the cold and meaningless streets of any big city where any story can develop to show you that we are still human and in any corner you have feelings and emotions. Beautiful screenplay where you follow the characters growing,applying the quote that the only normal people are the ones you do not know very well (Frédérick Jézégou). Perhaps being mature when you start a relationship means you can see around to other's mistakes trying to avoid them. Although not quite sure if you will finally behave in the same way. Brilliant film worth to see and being surprised by big Philip Seymour who should have a whole shelf in his house filled with Oscars.

The simple plot of New Yorkers who find each other despite emotional damage is told with verve and also with an eye to letting the characters simply be. All in all this is a terrific piece that sneaks up and surprises and could be the one of the best over-35 date movies ever. We loved it and were surprised and delighted by its values, its plot, and above all, the acting which is a real delight.JGB is a very good slice of acting and writing. More than competent this is one of the better films around at the moment as it engages both the heart and the mind without condescension or patronizing the viewer.There is a visceral quality to the honesty in this that though low-fi is so good to be reminded of - that love accepts and wants to make an effort and isn't simply something manufactured, packaged or even, likely.