Sammy and Brian argue bitterly at first, but there is a physical attraction between them, and they soon begin a sexual relationship. Sammy feels guilty about this, though, because Brian is married and his wife is six months pregnant. At one point Sammy goes to see her minister (played by writer-director Kenneth Lonergan) and says to him, "I don’t know what the church’s official position is on fornication and adultery these days." Looking a little uncomfortable, the minister tells her sympathetically, "Well, it’s a sin. But we try not to focus on that aspect of it too much right off the bat."
Sammy’s life quickly becomes very complicated. Out of the blue, her former boyfriend Bob asks her to marry him, and she must make some decision about that relationship. At the same time, she has to figure out exactly what to do about the fling she’s having with her boss. But Sammy’s main problem is that her brother Terry behaves so irresponsibly toward her son Rudy that the child is becoming quite upset.
Things comes to a head when Terry suddenly decides on his own that Rudy should meet the father he has never known. Without calling ahead, Terry takes young Rudy to a dilapidated house in the country, and Rudy Sr. comes to the door. There’s a striking physical resemblance between father and son. But Rudy Sr. denies that he is the boy’s dad, and a fight breaks out between Terry and Rudy Sr. The police come and take Terry and young Rudy into custody, and hours pass before a frantic Sammy is able to locate her son.
The movie goes on to at least hint at how the various threads of the story work out, and the ending is actually quite satisfying. Sammy seemingly comes to a better understanding of herself, young Rudy has definitely learned a few things he needs to know, and even the irresponsible Terry appears to be taking his first tentative steps toward growing up a little. All of the characters that we have come to care so much about have made a little bit of progress, although they have had to work very hard for it. But considering that the story takes place over a period of only two or three weeks, that’s a lot!
Writer-director Kenneth Lonergan received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay for You Can Count on Me, and in his directorial debut he shows a strong sense of visual storytelling. The acting in the film is outstanding, and Laura Linney’s portrayal of Sammy earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. Also, I particularly like the way Mark Ruffalo plays the role of Terry: His animal restlessness reminds me of James Dean. And Rory Culkin gives a fine performance as a child actor, following in the footsteps of his four brothers (Macaulay, Quinn, Kieran, and Christian).
You Can Count on Me is a serious drama, including a thought-provoking conversation between Sammy’s minister and her brother Terry about whether Terry’s life is important or not. But Lonergan has interspersed lots of humor throughout his film, and he makes effective use of music, too. But what I like best about You Can Count on Me is the way it avoids formulas and clichés. The film offers no simple solutions to its characters’ problems, although the characters do have it within their power to make their lives at least a little better -- but it takes hard work and luck. I highly recommend You Can Count on Me.
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