Laugh screening - Nicole Holofcener and Julia Louis-Dreyfus on ENOUGH SAID

Most post-divorce romantic comedy dramas are repetitive, dull and structured. That doesn’t seem to be the case with Nicole Holofcener’s latest romantic comedy Enough Said, which was presented and well received at the 57^th BFI London Film Festival.

It is the story of Eva (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) a divorced mother whose daughter is just about to leave home to go to college. One night she goes to a party and meets Albert (James Gandolfini), a loveable big guy who is also divorced and also has a daughter heading off to college. At the same party, she meets renowned poet Marianne who hires her as a massage therapist, and the two soon after become great friends. However, things get complicated when Julia finds out that Albert and Marianne were once married and doesn’t quite know how to handle.

Director Nicole Holofcener and Julia Louis-Dreyfus were in London and had a lively chat about the film after its screening at the Odeon West End. “Thankfully, nothing like this ever actually happened to me,” said Holofcener, referring to the story of Enough Said. “I’m a much better person than these guys and have ethics. I thought it would make a good fun plot and that maybe that plot would express those fears that make people act that way.”

“What first drew me to the film was the script. It grabbed a hold of my heart and wouldn’t let go,” said Louis-Dreyfus. “Also, I too had a kid going off to college at the same time. And I was a huge fan of Nicole and her work. We met and I think it’s safe to say that we became sort of sister soul mates. We were both crying for some reason and when we stopped crying she said ‘okay, you have the part’ and I said ‘sweet, that worked!’”

The performances by the cast really make the script and the film come alive. “Both Julia and Jim added so much to the film,” explained Holofcener. “I mean, I would be crazy not to listen to talented actors when they have something to say about their characters, but they made it so much funnier and much more dramatic too.”

Enough Said also features the late great James Gandolfini in his final leading role. Gandolfini is seemingly cast against type in this romantic comedy, yet he not only is convincing as Albert but also reveals a sweet and perhaps more personal side in his performance that he rarely ever had a chance to show throughout his career. “The character of Albert actually comes close to what Jim was,” said Louis-Dreyfus. “He was huge physically but very dear, sweet, self-deprecating, almost unsure of himself a lot of the time, which made him even more lovable. In many ways, he was the opposite of the character from the Sopranos. He was always very aware of other people around him and their needs.”

Enough Said is a stand out middle-aged sunny side up romantic comedy. What is particularly striking about the film is the wonderful balance of the script and the charming and funny performances by the talented cast. While it may not be particularly original, it certainly represents the better, brighter and more rewarding side of a genre that all too often lacks creativity.