You Can Count on Me
2000
****
Director: Kenneth Lonergan
Cast: Laura Linney, Mark Ruffalo, Rory Culkin, Matthew Broderick, Jon Tenney, Halley Feiffer, J. Smith-Cameron, Josh Lucas, Gaby Hoffmann, Amy Ryan
Sammy lives a quiet life in a small town with her 8-year-old son while working at a local bank. Her structured life is disrupted when her younger brother Terry, a drifter with a troubled past, returns home. Kenneth Lonergan's directorial debut is a well-observed and understated drama about the complicated but unbreakable bond between two siblings. The characters feel authentic and the story is touching and poignant. Mark Ruffalo is excellent in his breakthrough performance.
