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You Can Count on Me
2000 111 min United States of America R 18+
★8.0
Drama
Director: Kenneth Lonergan
Trailers
EN
EN
Description
A single mother's life is thrown into turmoil after her struggling, rarely-seen younger brother returns to town.
US Gross:
$9.42M
Worldwide:
$11.2M
Starring
Laura Linney
Actor
Matthew Broderick
Actor
Amy Ryan
Actor
Awards
Sundance Film Festival 2000
— Grand Jury Prize (Drama)
Sundance Film Festival 2000
— Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award
Golden Globe 2001
— Best Screenplay
Golden Globe 2001
— Best Actress (Drama)
Academy Awards 2001
— Best Screenplay
Screen Actors Guild Awards 2001
— Best Actress
Sundance Film Festival 2000
— Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award
Key opinion
You Can Count on Me is widely celebrated as an authentic, character-driven drama that resonates through its grounded portrayal of sibling dynamics and family life. While one viewer found the narrative somewhat forgettable, the general consensus highlights the film as an emotionally resonant and expertly acted indie gem.
| Acting | Laura Linney and Mark Ruffalo anchor the film with deeply empathetic, career-defining performances that create a compelling sibling dynamic. | |
| Screenplay | Kenneth Lonergan provides a grounded and insightful screenplay that balances complex emotional weight with refreshing, dry humor. | |
| Theme | The film avoids typical indie cynicism, offering an uplifting and therapeutic look at the necessity of relying on family despite their imperfections. | |
| Pacing | The narrative's pacing and structural focus divide opinion, with some finding it a captivating slice-of-life and others perceiving it as a merely average or slow-burning observation. |