The Dark Netflix Emotional Thriller That Takes Hold Of You And Doesn’t Let Go
Once upon a time in cinema, love stories were dark and thrilling, involving as much danger as romance—classics like Casablanca or Badlands. While that tradition might essentially be over, one recent film on Netflix offers a mature, if not bleak, homage to that era: Two Lovers.
It stars the excellent Joaquin Phoenix and co-stars Gwyneth Paltrow at her best, alongside an understatedly brilliant Vinessa Shaw. With James Gray behind the camera, co-writing the film with Ric Menello, the brainy, almost-noir film depicts a love triangle set among Eastern European immigrants in the gritty streets of south Brooklyn, New York.
Two Lovers
Phoenix plays Leonard, a man recovering from a devastating breakup and subsequent mental health challenges. The plot of Two Lovers principally deals with Leonard’s unexpected entanglement with two very different women—both of whom simultaneously enter his life and represent vastly divergent futures.
At the beginning of the movie, Leonard attempts suicide, jumping from a bridge to the water below. He opts out, however, and trudges home to his parent’s apartment.
After seeing her son drenched in water, his mother worriedly confides to Leonard’s father that it seems their son attempted to take his own life for the second time. However, Phoenix’s Two Lovers character soon meets two women who, at least temporarily, slightly lighten the film’s dark sensibility.
The Two Women
The first, Michaelle (played by Paltrow), is an alluring, enigmatic neighbor who grapples with her own severe emotional and relational turmoil. For instance, Michelle is romantically involved with a married man, which lends her an aura of unattainability and drama, drawing Leonard in.
Whereas the second prospective Lover in Two Lovers, Sandra, played by Shaw, embodies stability and compassion. Leonard’s parents introduce Sandra through a family connection, and she represents a safe harbor—a potential for healing and normalcy in Leonard’s tumultuous life.
Excellent Direction
Gray’s direction in Two Lovers is nothing if not superb. The film testifies to his adeptness at capturing profoundly personal and intimate narratives while avoiding sentimentality and cliches.
Nuanced portrayals and rich settings characterize the film’s production; it particularly captures the essence of its working-class Brooklyn backdrop, accentuating the film’s emotional depth.
Close-up shots and a muted color palette are frequently and effectively employed, further intensifing Two Lovers‘ introspective aspect.
Critical Acclaim
Deserevely, Two Lovers earned widespread critical acclaim. Experts adored its sensitive exploration of love and mental health, all steeped in dark, moody aesthetics.
Critics also lauded Phoenix’s performance as one of the best in his career, highlighting his ability to convey Loenard’s vulnerability and complexity with striking authenticity. At its best, Phoenix’s performance prefigures the dark subtly of his role as the Joker.
Paltrow and Shaw also received commendations for their roles, which were considered deep, subtle portrayals. The screenplay’s careful balance of dark psychological thematics, authentic romance, and utter realism additionally won accolades.
Emotional Depth
While Two Lover’s budget is not publicly available, internet sleuths estimate it to be around $10 million, meaning the $16 million it reaped at the box office amounted to a modest profit.
Two Lovers release strategy was notable, focusing on select theatres and incorporating the mounting critical acclaim to drive advertising. Targeting a niche audience, the film was and remained a cult favorite—though this is by no means a detractor.
Fans of the movie (and Russian literature) might know that the film drew inspiration from Fyodor Dostoevsky’s short story “White Nights.”
However, Two Lovers‘ impact took the form of more thematic resonance and emotional depth than direct narrative adaption. Like much of his work, Dostoevsky’s story is renowned for its exploration of human psychology, morality, and the endless nuances of the soul.
Two Lovers On Netflix
Gray masterfully weaves those themes into the fabric of Two Lovers. Generally, the connection between the two works concerns their shared meditation on unrequited love, loneliness, and the human yearning for connection.
Speaking of a Russian Master, the film was Gray’s second (after Little Odessa)to focus on the Russian Jewish immigrant community of Brighton Beach, the Brooklyn neighborhood straddling the Atlantic Ocean and neighboring Coney Island.
Gray grew up in that neighborhood and community and knows his stuff; the setting, blending urban grit and seaside openness, benefits from his peerless familiarity.
For a dark, unique exploration of the difficulties of human connection and intricacies of the human mind, stream Two Lovers today.
