You Can Count on Me (2000): Dir: Kenneth Lonergan / Cast: Laura Linney, Mark Ruffalo, Matthew Broderick, Rory Culkin, Josh Lucas: Effective yet overrated independent film. It regards the bond between grown siblings who are left to no other devices other than to rely on each other. Laura Linney plays a single mother who has worked at the bank for several years until her new manager badgers her about picking up her son after school. She learns that her brother is coming home. He was in Alaska and spent time in jail in Florida. Her son inquirers about his absentee father whom neither sibling cares for. Film handles her affair with her manager with misplaced humour. Story begins well but becomes predictable with drab locations and uneven directing by Kenneth Lonergan. Linney is excellent as a woman who isn't as well together as she projects to be. Mark Ruffalo is terrific as her troubled brother who is gradually becoming responsible. Matthew Broderick plays the cynical bank manager in a predictable yet satisfying role. Rory Culkin plays Linney's son whose curiosity about his real father bares scars. Josh Lucas makes a cameo as Culkin's real father whom Ruffalo issues the encounter to before bringing a confrontation. While the film's look and feel could have been much better there is a strong theme regarding sibling bonding and the strength therein. Score: 6 / 10

In the interest in disclosure I must state that I saw this movie for the first time ten years after it's release. Therefore, I had the benefit of both the 08' financial crisis and ten thousand more films just like this one having been made (although most appeared on "Lifetime")The plot is basically that of "working single mother against the world". Thats right, "Single mom makes good" with Laura Linny as the single mother . She has all the brains and cleverness in the movie, while the male characters are basically there to serve her. Her boss, played by Broderick, is tentative and afraid, and has stupid business ideas as well. Her brother, played with good acting skill by Mark Rufflo, is a sad drifter who works construction. Although he is the one who does the most respectable work as a carpenter, neither him or his trade are given much respect in the film. As the plot unfolds, Linny's character is shown to be very clever as she eventually gets everything that she wants. She gets freedom, power and even the family house.She sleeps with the boss, even though his wife is pregnant, then later extorts the ability to do basically whatever she wants at work or "I'M TELLING"! She gets her brother to sign his half of the house over to her, without any good explanation of why she deserves his half. Lastly, she dumps the man who wants to marry her , perhaps just to show how omnipotent and in control she is.The film never establishes why Linny's character deserves to get all the good fortune, unless by virtue of being a single mother she deserves it. They never go into why she made a bad choice as to who would father her kids, although perhaps her fling with Broderick was a clue. She is never shown doing much actual work either, come to think of it.After the 08 crises we learned that loan officers , a job without very high skill or educational training, treated themselves to some big cuts of some loans to people with little ability to pay them back. Perhaps Linny's job in the film is viewed a little differently today.Although the film had the feel of the dreaded dreaded "message flick", it's message was what? if you do difficult, dangerous work and don't cleverly extort privilege with sex, your a sucker? The public has grown weary of the antics of some mortgage brokers in the past decade; perhaps they will grow weary of this same tired , and by the way unrealistic plot in the next.

You can count on me is a film starring Mark Ruffalo and Laura Linney and was made in 2000. This is one of those movies that is what they call a hidden gem. It is the story of a brother and sister who lose their parents in a car crash at a very young age. The story begins when they are older and the character played by Mark Ruffalo comes back home. One of the things that I loved about this movie is a key component, namely the tragic loss of their parents. You always get a sense that it is there and has shaped who these two characters have become as adults, but is never overplayed. Rory Culkin (yes Maculays brother) has a great first role as Laura's eight year old son. This movie is very well written and cerebral without trying to be over anyone's head. This is one of those movies that I think most people have never heard of, but if they would take the time to check out, I think they would find memorable. if you like concise reviews of interesting films please read my other reviews at http://raouldukeatthemovies.blogspot.com/

This movie is a heart-warming depiction of a group of people in a small town whose lives come together and change. Mark Ruffalo and Laura Linney are excellent in this story that starts with a very sad meeting between the two siblings but rebounds with the twists of fate that make for a complicated family adventure. Through it all, there is humor and dialogue that enliven this film, set in a small town in New York state where the two grew up and lost both parents. At one point Linney tries to navigate the waves created by her boss, brother, boyfriend, ex-husband and child. Both she and her brother are flawed human beings but they make the effort to live up to their family commitments. Matthew Broderick plays a rather unusual role among a cast of unusual characters. The other actors, Rory Culkin as the son and Jon Tenney as Bob, the boyfriend, round out the main cast. The film does not bring a complete resolution to the problems but we feel that a hopeful chapter in their lives has been told.