Could this possibly be Russell Crowe's best movie ever? He gives the most completely natural believable performance of a young gay man I have ever seen in movies. I have read many comments that the trick that appears throughout the movie of the characters talking to the camera weakens the film. I completely disagree. From the first scene when Russell Crowe's character talks about what his visits to his Grandmother and her lover means to him, to the scenes when his father talks to the camera after his stroke, made me feel as if I were a friend of these people and they were drawing me into their lives. Watching Russell Crowe's attempts to seduce a man who he hopes will become his boyfriend were completely natural and I believe many people who do not care to see homosexual themed movies would warm to this as it comes from a place of love and shows that a family doesn't have to be nuclear to be complete and loving. You never for one moment not believe that this father and son truly love and, what is more important, respect each other. The romance between the father and his new lady is also believable and well written. Middle aged people really do act this way when they are dealing with a new romance, especially when they believe that romance has passed them by. This wonderful family drama deserves a much wider audience that it received when first released. Enjoy this film and let it change your ideas on what a family can be.
Review of The Sum of Us
