'Love is Strange' review, starring John Lithgow, Alfred Molina and Marisa Tomei

There’s something so wonderful about a film that can find so much warmth, heart and honesty with such a simple, concise plot. Such is the case for Ira Sachs’ Love is Strange.

Ben (John Lithgow) and George (Alfred Molina), a long-time couple living in New York City, finally get the chance to tie the knot, accompanied by friends and family. But their happiness is shortsighted when George, a music teacher in a prestigious Catholic elementary school, is let go on account of his homosexuality. With meager funds — Ben is a painter, so George was more of the bread maker — they’re forced to put their house up for sale. It’s with that that the recently married couple must live separately with the same family and friends who attended their nuptials, much to everyone’s prolonged disgruntlement.

Lithgow and Molina, both fantastic veteran character actors in their own right, are finally given a new project worthy of their capabilities. Their chemistry is so beautiful, touching and genuine that you feel their history together. With just faint glances, you understand everything about them, and know they come years of laughs, tears and everything in between. Lithgow, of the two, stands out the most, mostly on the account of him getting more screen time, but both give some of the best lead performances of this past year.

The film, a French-American co-production, has a lot of European film aesthetics. Sachs’ direction is very observant but resigned, tucked away in the corners and sides and steps back to expose the whole picture of this minimalistic tale. It’s not a story that says a lot per se visually, but it is one that feels so personable, humble and graceful. It’s as focused on the atmosphere and love of art, literature and culture as it is on its characters.

Love is Strange contains a rich delicacy of wisdom without showing off or being overbearing pretentious. While it does get a little too cutesy at times, it’s the kind of feel-good film that earns its right to be called one, much like last year's The Lunchbox. This is also what makes its quietly heartbreaking finale so resounding. The movie is very much a slice-of-life tale, one, preferring to show the smaller moments in life over the heavy dramatic ones.

Even though the supporting subplots with Kate (Marisa Tomei) and Joey (Charlie Tahan, who strikingly looks like a young Steve Zahn) feel forced at times, their characters and their arcs as just as sincere and compassionate. As a result, every character feels authentic, deep and palpable. Its maturity guides its intelligence, and this is what makes Sachs and Mauricio Zacharias’ screenplay so deep with humanity.

Love is Strange is an astoundingly natural and emotionally gorgeous film, filled to the brim with heart, intelligence and sweetness. It’s about as lovely as can be, and its deeply felt characters are so personable, you want to reach out and hug them. This is the kind of movie that makes you laugh, moves you and linger with you for days after. In a time of year where movies across the board this season try to achieve that, it’s refreshing to see one that actually does.