Don’t be put off by Enough Said being described as a romantic comedy. Free of most cliches of its genre, it’s more a slow-burning adult drama full of chuckles derived from well-written characters and top-notch acting than the lesser fare we’ve seen in recent times as rom-coms have run out of steam. It is more Your Sister’s Sister or (while not a rom-com itself) Blue Jasmine than Friends With Benefits, thanks to a deft blend of smarts, laughs and a rock-solid emotional core.
Anchored by seemingly effortless, understated, and therefore tremendously impressive performances from leads Julia Louis-Dreyfus (who’s perhaps never been a better actor) and the tragically departed James Gandolfini, Enough Said moves at a measured pace as the pair romantically entangle. Such is the uncommon subtlety and true-to-life honesty with which these two divorced parents begin to fall for each other that the film had me wondering whether it was a rom-com at all – until, hey presto, along comes a plot contrivance and one character keeping secrets from another that earn Enough Said its rom-com stripes without stretching credulity any further than it needs to.
Aside from the strong chemistry shared by Louis-Dreyfus and Gandolfini, propelling their flirty banter that delivers most of the film’s laughs, strong relationships exist elsewhere, thanks to characters who defy usual commonly-seen clichés of supporting roles. Friends, daughters, partners – they’re all developed into characters who deserve their screen time, and you feel for Louis-Dreyfus each time she dents the bonds she shares with them. A class act all round.
