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| Julia Louis-Dreyfus in "You Hurt My Feelings" Photo Credit: RottenTomatoes.com |
We’ve all told little white lies. Whether it be to spare someone’s feelings or some other reason, we see these as necessary to get through the awkwardness that would come with telling the truth in such scenarios. We don’t really think of the effects because there are rarely any. The little lie is told; the teller is happy; the receiver is happy; then, we all move on. However, there can be that time where we tell a little white lie and it grows into something else. Then, it’s up to you to do damage control.
This serves as the premise for writer-director Nicole Holofcener’s latest comedy-drama, “You Hurt My Feelings.” Much like her films “Please Give” and “Enough Said” (those are the only other two Holofcener films that I’ve seen), she offers an endearing view at modern adult relationships and how the people involved face their challenges.
Beth (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) is an author who lives and teaches in New York City. As she struggles to write her novel, she counts on the feedback from her therapist husband, Don (Tobias Menzies), whose opinion she values over all others. When she secretly catches Don admitting to a friend that he didn’t like her latest manuscript like he had told her, Beth will begin to doubt the trust and support on which she thought her marriage was built.
Louis-Dreyfus, who stared in Holofcener’s 2013 film, “Enough Said,” is given the same acting opportunity as she had in that movie, which is to be able to mix her comedic sensibilities with some endearing drama. She has wonderful moments that show why she’s one of the best comedic actresses working today, reveling in the funny interactions that she has with the other cast members and giving witty delivery in the everyday-conversational style of the dialogue. In the more emotional scenes, Louis-Dreyfus displays great vulnerability as someone who’s stuck in a creative and marital rut. She brings to life an individual whose confidence hits a rough patch after a simple lie shakes the foundations of her marriage and career, making this a role that exemplifies Louis-Dreyfus’ continued versatility.
Menzies offers an emotionally subtle performance as someone whose own career seems to be at a stall. Just like Louis-Dreyfus, he gives his character a vulnerability that shows his slowly decreasing self-worth as he attempts to hold onto his profession while trying to maintain his marriage. It’s understated work that shows the small, yet poignant details of a man who only lied because he loves his wife, and he gives beautiful work as someone who’s torn between whether what he did was right or wrong.
Surrounding Louis-Dreyfus and Menzies is a cast of supporting characters with whom they have wonderful chemistry. There’s Michaela Watkins as Beth’s sister, Sarah; Arian Moayad as Sarah’s husband, Mark; Owen Teague as Elliot, Beth and Don’s son; Jeanne Berlin, who gives a standout comedic performance as Beth and Sarah’s mother; and Amber Tamblyn and David Cross (who are married in real life) make a hilarious appearance as a couple seeking Don’s therapeutic help.
The screenplay by Holofcener’s takes a simple topic like little white lies and gives it a fine view into how they can impact relationships. All of the characters that she uses to populate this narrative have a strong realism to them that make it easy to engage with their issues. Whether it’s a scene between Beth and Don, Beth and Sarah, Sarah and Mark, Beth, Sarah, and their mother, or Beth, Don, and Elliot, we’re given several angles from which to view the story’s main theme, offering both big and subtle details that speak to the past and present experiences of the characters. With the movie’s 1.5-hour runtime, there’s a breeziness to the film, but its story still packs considerable insight into what the film says about relationships, both marital and paternal, in terms of the things people do to show their love and support.
As a director, Holofcener handles the blocking of her scenes in such a way that has you feel the distrust and isolation between the characters. You experience that tension in the middle of the comedy and drama, and as Holofcener shows her expert handling on this tonal balance, she keeps you absorbed as you see how Beth and Don try to find a way out of this scenario and salvage their marriage. Utilizing the bonds within the cast, the realness of the characters, and the relatability of the narrative, there’s a naturalism to how Holofcener maintains the flow, keeping everything grounded and true to life.
Once you spend time with these memorable characters and get to know them, “You Hurt My Feelings” will have you feeling great.
Grade: A
