Little-known Netflix tearjerker has fans all saying the same thing
Netflix fans have been left in tears by a 'beautifully depressive' hidden gem on the streaming site, which stars Joaquin Phoenix and Gwyneth Paltrow in a heartbreaking love story
A hidden treasure on Netflix, Two Lovers, has left viewers spellbound and they're encouraging everyone who hasn't seen it to give it a watch immediately.
The film stars Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow and Vinessa Shaw, and narrates the tale of Leonard Kraditor, a man whose engagement has been broken off and is compelled to move back in with his parents in Brooklyn.
The movie opens with Leonard plunging into the water in what appears to be an attempt at suicide, and traces his journey towards finding happiness.
His parents, portrayed by Isabella Rossellini and Moni Moshonov, are desperate to see their son regain his happiness and arrange a date for him with his father's business partner's daughter, played by Vinessa Shaw. However, Leonard begins to harbour intense feelings for his enigmatic neighbour, played by Gwyneth Paltrow.
The love triangle and the suspense of whom he will choose has viewers gripped, with many commenting on the tear-jerking ending, reports the Mirror US.
Critics have lauded the film, directed by James Gray, known for The Yards and We Own the Night, for its intricate portrayal of relationships.
The Guardian has heaped praise on James Gray's cinematic style, saying: "James Gray's powerfully emotional dramas have such a distinctive, deliberate quality; Gray has always been a craftsman working with heavy materials, very different from Hollywood's lightweight alloy. This, his third feature, is set once again in the Russian-Jewish communities of Brooklyn. Like his other films, The Yards and We Own the Night, it is unafraid of the grand gesture, but this often looks oddly like an adapted stage-play - Two Lovers takes Gray closer to the idiom of Arthur Miller or Tennessee Williams."
With a stellar 81 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film Two Lovers is making waves among viewers and critics.
One reviewer said: "No film has captured how we idealize others in relationships better than Two Lovers."
Another lauded the film's intricate production: "Gray has made a thoughtful and sensitive chamber piece, and he gets a fine performance from Phoenix, who conveys his character's anguish and heartache with deep feeling."
Meanwhile, a third critic was moved by its subtlety: "Everything about this quietly beautiful film is understated - the performances, the score and, most of all, the inner turmoil that easily can mean life or death for the most sensitive among us."
Audience reactions coincide, with many highlighting the emotional impact of the film's finale.
One fan shared their personal connection: "Maybe I'm biased towards a lot of things in this film, but it really hit home with me. Would definitely recommend it."
A second viewer said: "Phoenix and Paltrow deliver strong performances in this beautifully depressive film. Though the ending is sad and frustrating, it's the best outcome for all involved."
Another reviewer added: "Strong contender for most emotionally devastating sex scene ever."
The film Two Lovers is currently available to stream on Netflix.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
31 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Emily Ratajkowski twerks the night away and is presented with a cheeky cake for her 34th birthday - as A-list guest Irina Shayk tattoos her name on her chest at wild bash
enjoyed a wild birthday bash to celebrate turning 34 over the weekend. The model and actress twerked the night away and even had her A-list guests tattoo her name on parts of their body as she sent pulses racing at the star-studded party alongside pals including Irina Shayk. Wearing a skimpy multicoloured jumpsuit layered over a high-rise thong, Emily was seen twerking among friends after she was presented with a birthday cake in the shape of her famous thong-clad behind. The Gone Girl star appeared delighted to be celebrating her birthday with a saucy theme as she also provided her guests with the opportunity to get her name temporarily tattooed on their chests and bottoms. Emily left very little to the imagination during the swanky do as she went braless in the sheer one-piece. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Sharing an album of snaps to Instagram, Emily gushed over the lavish party and thanked everyone who made it feel special on her big night. She penned: 'OK wow best birthday ever. feeling so grateful for my life: the friends, the community and the FUN. thank you for all the love.' Although she was feeling the love during her big night, Emily is currently believed to be single after embracing the dating scene in the wake of her split from ex-husband Sebastian Bear-McClard in the summer of 2022. She was married to the Uncut Gems producer, 44, from 2018 to 2022, and the former couple share son Sylvester 'Sly' Apollo, four. Emily's next professional project will be appearing in Lena Dunham's forthcoming semi-autobiographical Netflix series Too Much. The 10-part rom-com follows a New Yorker who heads to London in the wake of a breakup and is co-produced by Lena's husband Luis Felber. Megan Slater will play main character Jessica in the series while Will Sharpe will play Felix - the man she meets in London Emily will play Polly in the series, a friend to Jessica, while Adwoa Aboah will also star as Will's ex Linnea.
Daily Mail
36 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
'Meghan's an influencer, Sophie has real influence': Royal expert's damning verdict on Harry's wife 'wasting her potential' on jam and rosé - while Duchess of Edinburgh visits war zones and champions women's rights
Meghan Markle is a self-proclaimed feminist and vowed to continue her work for women's advocacy even when she stepped down from official royal duties with Prince Harry. But since the launch of her Netflix series and lifestyle brand, As Ever, it's another royal who was become synonymous with working tirelessly in the women's rights realm, while Meghan's public persona is all jam and flower sprinkles. Just last week, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, was at the Imperial War Museum to visit the UK's first exhibition on the victims of sexual violence in conflict and gave an impassioned speech, where she spoke movingly about a visit she made to Kosovo in 2019 and the 'shame and stigma' of the rape survivors she met. Discussing the horror of the many women who fell pregnant by their attackers, she said: 'The stigma that is sadly placed on the women….it's about the mothers. In so many countries they can't even go back into the home place.' Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told MailOnline that this is exactly the kind of hard-hitting advocacy work that could have allowed Meghan to flourish in the Royal Family given it's so far removed from the 'softer' duties, involving cutting ribbons and shaking hands. 'Meghan is struggling to be an influencer, Sophie has influence in ways that really matter, which Meghan could have been,' he said. 'Meghan has always boasted about how she promotes feminism. 'Yet contrast the occasional speech she makes in comfortable surroundings with the remarkable work of Sophie who actually visits areas of the world such as Sudan and Chad which have been devastated by war and attempts to comfort the women who are victims of rape and exploitation. In recent years the King's sister-in-law, who is married to his brother, Prince Edward, has travelled to current and former war zones including Chad, the Congo, Kosovo, South Chad, Lebanon and Sierra Leone (pictured) 'If Meghan had seriously wanted to make a difference, she should surely have remained a senior working royal. 'It does involve compromise, but think what could have been achieved for an important cause she claims is so dear to her heart.' He added that Meghan's departure from frontline royal duties is a case of 'wasted potential', while Sophie has 'proved she's the Royal Family 's champion of women's rights ' 'While Meghan sends pots of jam to celebrities, it is the Duchess of Edinburgh who meets survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and displaced women in a landmark visit to Ukraine,' he said. In April last year, Sophie bravely denounced Putin's forces for using rape as weapon of war as she became the first British royal to visit Ukraine since Russia 's invasion in February 2022. In 2015, before she began dating Prince Harry, Meghan gave a keynote address on gender equality for UN Women in New York. She received a standing ovation from guests including Ban Ki-moon, then UN secretary-general. Then in 2018, Meghan went off-script at the Royal Foundation Forum and spoke about women's empowerment. Sophie bravely denounced Putin's forces for using rape as weapon of war as she became the first British royal to visit Ukraine since Russia 's invasion in February 2022 But it was during the same visit that she was criticised for touching on the political issues of Time's Up and #MeToo. She said: 'Women don't need to find a voice because they have a voice, they need to be empowered to use it and people need to be encouraged to listen.' Richard explained: 'In her visits to Rwanda in 2016 and India in 2017 and in a memorable speech to the United Nations International Women's Day Conference in 2015, she campaigned for equal opportunities. 'She stressed this in her visits to the Antipodes and South Africa when she and Harry were still senior working members of the royal family. 'This potential has surely been wasted since she and Harry stepped down from royal duties.' When she first joined the Royal Family Meghan said she was committed to continuing her advocacy work in her new role. She said: 'With fame comes opportunity, but it also includes responsibility – to advocate and share, to focus less on glass slippers and more on pushing through glass ceilings.' She previously said it's essential to use one's voice to advocate for change and that 'hashtags are not enough'. This comes as it was reported that Meghan reportedly plans to add hotels and restaurants to her As Ever lifestyle brand after her raspberry preserve, flower sprinkles and crêpe mix quickly sold out. Brand experts have claimed hotels and restaurants fit in nicely with the Duchess' business brand. Richard said: 'Her handling of her lifestyle brand As Ever, is erratic, she apparently will be releasing more products contrary to her intention to step back after the first batch supposedly sold out. 'We await the second series of With Love, Meghan, filmed back to back with the first, with trepidation. ' Netflix seems on board for a part renewal of the contract with the Sussexes but how, one wonders, will that benefit the charitable causes that are supposedly so dear to her heart, especially when her family, with the exception of her mother, so distant and so publicly so.' Most recently Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, has spoken passionately of her campaign to highlight the plight of victims of sexual violence in conflict. Sophie, 60, has spoken out on the issue for years and met hundreds of survivors around the world. The Duchess visited the UK's first exhibition dedicated to the subject earlier this month at the Imperial War Museum in London. Sophie stands alongside survivors of sexual violence in conflict from the Kosovo War and Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Survivor Champions in October 2019 The exhibition, Unsilenced: Sexual Violence in Conflict, will run until November 2. Featuring shocking stories ranging from the First World War until the present day, the royal expressed her frustration as she toured the displays at the way the issue is still swept under the carpet - and the cultural norms that give rise to the degradation of women even to this day. It is a subject the Duchess - who was making her visit to the exhibition ahead of International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict on June 19 - says is woefully 'under-discussed'. In recent years the King's sister-in-law, who is married to his brother, Prince Edward, has travelled to current and former war zones including Chad, the Congo, Kosovo, South Chad, Lebanon and Sierra Leone. She has devoted much of her latter working life as a royal to supporting the Women, Peace and Security Agenda and is passionate about championing gender equality. Shocking stories of the use of rape and sexual assault as a weapon of war against both women and men have emerged from the current conflict in Ukraine. Meanwhile Meghan appears to have turned her focus to her reported $100million, five-year deal with Netflix. In her most recent series, With Love, Meghan, the Duchess shares lifestyle and cookery tips such as how to perfectly cut a pineapple. The Duchess of Susse x also launched her new podcast series, Confessions of a Female Founder, which features interviews with female founders and friends about their experiences launching and building businesses. The podcast aims to explore the successes and challenges faced by women in entrepreneurship. Her previous podcast, Archetypes, which aired on Spotify in 2022, explored the labels and stereotypes that hold women back. The series featured interviews with notable figures like Serena Williams, Mariah Carey, and Paris Hilton. While successful in its first season, the podcast did not get renewed for a second season, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's Spotify deal was terminated.
Daily Mail
37 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Netflix fans left 'ugly crying' by 'absolutely heartbreaking' thriller so intense they 'had to take a break' halfway through
A Netflix tear-jerker has left fans so emotional they had to pause the film to regain their composure. 'Movies don't make you cry like this these days,' wrote one viewer online, after watching brand new heart-tugging Netflix film, 'Straw'. From the mind of Tyler Perry (writer, producer and director), Straw sends viewers spiralling through a tempestuous day in the life of 'Janiyah' (Taraji P. Henson) as she faces adversity and struggles to make ends meet for her unwell young daughter. The cerebral tale has been praised for its unexpected twist ending, and exploration of prejudice in the healthcare and banking systems, as well its call for discussion around mental health in Black communities. 'She's just trying to survive, just trying to be a great mother to her daughter, and then the circumstances in her life cause her to be in this situation,' Perry told Netflix's Tudum. 'I think that a lot of people around the world, no matter if you're a Black woman or not, will be able to relate to that feeling of, 'I'm at my last straw.'' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. After being released on June 6, Straw has rapidly ascended the Netflix charts, now hitting no.1 movie in the UK, and audiences online are bubbling over with emotion at the psychological thriller. 'I just finished watching #StrawNetflix I cried, crode and I crewwweedddd. Taraji's pain and trauma were just too much...' 'The way Straw raises awareness on psychosis , and the different stages of grief! Beautifully done! #StrawNetflix' 'Taraji P. Henson is one of THE BEST actresses ever. #StrawNetflix was simply incredible and she deserves an Oscar. 'The emotion I felt watching this was insane. I cried from start to finish. Single moms. We are incredibly strong.' 'This is a tear jerker. The ugly cry I did is unmatched.' 'I give this a 9/10. This movie triggers you emotionally in the most least expected way. Prepare to cry.' Straw marks Henson and Perry's fourth collaboration in the cinema world, having previously worked together on Acrimony, I Can Do Bad All by Myself, and The Family That Preys. In Straw, Henson is joined by a stellar cast, featuring Sherri Shepherd, Teyana Taylor and Jingle All the Way star Sinbad, in his first role since suffering a stroke in 2020. Despite an emotive response on social media, some film reviewers were critical, suggesting that Taraji P. Henson's tear-jerking performance elevated the film, whilst the writing and plot were subpar, and unsurprising from Perry. Though critics reviews were mixed, the film received a 76% audience review on Rotten Tomatoes. Henson expressed in an interview with Extra that she anticipated a stirring response from audiences. 'You never know what cross someone is carrying,' she noted, explaining that she hoped the film would invoke an impetus to show kindness towards strangers in the audience.
