Julia Louis-Dreyfus – Enough Said
Nicole Holofcener’s Enough Said was a lovely, wonderfully written romantic comedy, admirably low key and beautifully played by everyone in the cast. Of course, it became marred by tragedy when the mercurial James Gandolfini passed away only a couple of months before the TIFF premiere. Following his death, press surrounding the film (understandably) focused on his tremendous performance, which is now looking very likely to pick up a nomination while other performers will be ignored.
It’s a shame too because Gandolfini, while excellent, is only made better by the mediation of the female actors around him. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who is currently wowing on HBO’s Veep, is the film’s beating heart and she is remains an understated, sturdy presence throughout. As Eva she manages to be both funny and heartbreaking but also makes her character real. Even as the schematic plot threatens to undermine everything, her deftness and skill as an actress keeps it grounded and she is very sturdy center round which everything permeates.
The combination of Louis-Dreyfus and Holofcener is proven to be a very fruitful one in Enough Said and it shows us that Louis-Dreyfus is capable of more than just comedy. It is that magical combination between actor and director that does not come along very often and should be honoured.
