You Can Count On Me Criterion 4K UHD Review
“You Can Count On Me” still holds up 25 years later.
Written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan, 2000’s “You Can Count On Me” revolves around siblings Sammy and Terry who lost their parents at a young age. As adults, their relationship is strained, but they still love each. Sammy works at a bank and is a single mother to a son (Rudy) while Terry is a restless, irresponsible, and broke drifter who doesn’t quite have his life together. Sammy (who resides in their childhood home in a small town called Scottsville in New York) gets a visit from Terry which she is initially excited about, but is dismayed to learn that he spent time in jail and is in need of borrowing money for he and his girlfriend. When Terry learns that his girlfriend tried to commit suicide, he sends her the money and decides to stick around town with his sister. Terry begins to bond with Rudy, but Terry’s irresponsibility rears its head and further strains his relationship with Sammy. Sammy, meanwhile, is at a crossroads in her romantic life. Her on and off again boyfriend Bob proposes to her, but she’s also having an affair with her new bank boss Brian.
Playwright Kenneth Lonergan made his directorial debut with “You Can Count On Me” and it’s certainly a debut to remember. This indie character study provides a snapshot of a dysfunctional family (a brother and sister) who are attempting to work through their problems. There’s no tidy ending or clear cut resolutions here. Instead, you get an honest look at flawed and somewhat lost human beings trying their best to navigate adulthood. The story also digs heavily into themes of faith, regret, trust, and responsibility and makes the story even richer than it already is.
Lonergan has a knack for creating characters and really making you invest in this family. You root for them, you see the love they have for each other, but you also know that things could be rough for the relationship of this brother and sister as they are very different people whose lifestyles clash. Sammy is content living in a small and quiet mountain town while Terry feels trapped by it and yearns for other cities.
As good as the material is, “You Can Count On Me” really soars thanks to the cast which features Laura Linney, Mark Ruffalo, Matthew Broderick, Rory Culkin, Josh Lucas and Gaby Hoffman. Even to this day, Linney never quite gets the praise she deserves. She gives such naturalistic and seemingly effortless performances and this one ranks as one of her best. This isn’t Mark Ruffalo’s first credit, but it’s the one that catapulted him to stardom. He gives a very grounded, method actor esque performance here by channeling Marlon Brando and James Dean. It’s still one of his best performances to date.
Video/Audio:
Presentation: 1.85:1 2160p. How does it look? The 4K digital restoration provides a nice subtle upgrade that offers up improved image quality.
Audio Track: 5.1 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? The dialogue driven film gets a nice clean 5.1 track.
Extras:
* A 2001 commentary by Kenneth Lonergan (on the 4K and Blu-ray).
* “You Can Count On Me” trailer
* A booklet with photos, credits. an essay by playwright Rebecca Gilman, and the script for Lonergan’s one-act play.
* A newly recorded in-depth 26 interview with Kenneth Lonergan who talks about writing, his background, his filmography, how “You Can Count On Me” came about, behind-the-scenes stories, and more.
* “An Area We Ought To Explore: The Cast On You Can Count On Me”- A new documentary featuring Mark Ruffalo, Laura Linney and Matthew Broderick talking about their very different acting careers.
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