You Can Count on Me

Name: You Can Count on Me
Genre: Drama
Released: November 10, 2000
Duration: 111 min
Rating: 85
Cast: Laura Linney, Matthew Broderick

2000

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 31 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 103 Ratings

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8.5

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8.5	User Score Universal acclaim based on 103 Ratings

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You Can Count On Me

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Movie Details & Credits

Paramount Classics | Release Date: November 10, 2000 | R

Starring: Laura Linney, Matthew Broderick

Summary: A young mother (Laura Linney) is cheating on her fiancé (Jon Tenney) with her boss (Matthew Broderick), and her life becomes further complicated by the return home of her wild brother (Mark Ruffalo).

Director: Kenneth Lonergan

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 111 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

David Ansen

Few films have explored the complicated bonds of love and resentment between brother and sister with such delightful honesty.

100

Carla Meyer

It's simply a quiet and heartbreaking look at the dynamics of one family. That's the beauty of it. Read full review

100

David Edelstein

The best American movie of the year. Has a subtext so powerful that it reaches out and pulls you under. Even when the surface is tranquil, you know in your guts what's at stake. Read full review

Emanuel Levy

A sensitive, intimate, enormously touching drama. Read full review

Staff [Not Credited]

The best drama you've seen about Anytown, USA, since "American Beauty."

Hazel-Dawn Dumpert

(Linney and Ruffalo) are just beautiful enough, in fact, to be in the movies and still remain convincing as authentic folk, and their performances are tremendously moving. Read full review

Jonathan Foreman

Visually flat and uninteresting and too often feels like a (leisurely paced) filmed play. Read full review

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User Reviews

joomjim4

Jun 18, 2012

This film was so simple in such a perfect sense. The unpretentiousness of the film leads to the deeper greatness that can be overwhelmingly emotionally touched by viewers. The love, the warmth, the bond everything about the film was so true that it somehow connects to our lives one way orThis film was so simple in such a perfect sense. The unpretentiousness of the film leads to the deeper greatness that can be overwhelmingly emotionally touched by viewers. The love, the warmth, the bond everything about the film was so true that it somehow connects to our lives one way or another. A Beautiful Film.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

JoeW.

Feb 14, 2006

I know how pretentious this sounds but I liked the religious ambiguity of the movie...Terry's view on life is so well presented and rings true of most people I know --especially when he talks to the priest--and the priest is not a foreboding feature either--he's reasonable-- the I know how pretentious this sounds but I liked the religious ambiguity of the movie...Terry's view on life is so well presented and rings true of most people I know --especially when he talks to the priest--and the priest is not a foreboding feature either--he's reasonable-- the writing is awesome--ken lonergan's commentary is great! really worth a listen--see this movie!… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

Chrrowley

Sep 23, 2011

A wonderful tender film that beautifully explores the complex relationship between a brother, sister, and child. Has a small town authenticity rarely seen in films, and has left me waiting patiently for over a decade to see Mr. Lonergan's follow up. A streak which will be broken next weekA wonderful tender film that beautifully explores the complex relationship between a brother, sister, and child. Has a small town authenticity rarely seen in films, and has left me waiting patiently for over a decade to see Mr. Lonergan's follow up. A streak which will be broken next week when the infamous and anticipated "Margaret" reaches the big screen.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

Aerialist277

Jun 19, 2021

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0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Sindri

Feb 20, 2011

Reverent performances - American playwright, screenwriter and director Kenneth Lonergan's feature film debut tells the story of sibling couple Terry and Sammy who lost their parents in a car accident when they were children. Twenty years later, Sammy still lives in their childhood home inReverent performances - American playwright, screenwriter and director Kenneth Lonergan's feature film debut tells the story of sibling couple Terry and Sammy who lost their parents in a car accident when they were children. Twenty years later, Sammy still lives in their childhood home in Scottsville, New York and is a single mum working at the local bank. She has not heard from Terry in months, but when he suddenly shows up in town telling her that he has no money and no place to go, she invites him to stay with her and introduced him to her son Rudy.

This gratifying and compassionate family drama about an estranged brother and sister who are reunited at their home town two decades after a life altering incident, is hands down one of the most wonderful American independent films i've ever seen. "You Can Count on Me", which was shoot in Margaretville, New York, executive produced by Martin Scorsese and honored with numerous film awards during the turn of the millennium, deals with existentialistic themes in a more humane than theoretical way and is a dialog-driven character study strengthened by it's authentic and milieu depictions.

The film is wittingly written and acutely directed by Kenneth Lonergan who gives an uncommonly realistic portrayal of a devoting and deeply affectionate relationship between a brother and sister who has chosen opposite paths in life. Mark Ruffalo and Laura Linney interprets Terry and Sammy with striking conviction and their reverent performances, which i would place on any list over the best performances given in the last decade, is alone reason enough to see this humorous and thoughtful film which also contains great scenes between Mark Ruffalo and Rory Culkin and between Laura Linney and Matthew Broderick. The varied and mood-setting music works well, and this is the kind of film that reaches our hearts and conveys something pivotal about basic life values.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

BKM

Feb 1, 2012

A smart, complex and honest look at the ties that bind siblings together for better or worse. Linney and Ruffalo are terrific as a brother and sister working out their issues and the film is constantly challenging our preconceptions about who these people are and what drives their behaviors.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

kianooshark

Sep 11, 2019

یک فیلم آموزنده اجتماعی در گونه درام با بازی خوب لورا لینی و مارک روفالو و فیلنامه خوب کنت لنرگن بودکه به خوبی به معضل طلاق و زندگی بی بند و باری و اسیب های ناشی از اون اشاره میکنهیک فیلم آموزنده اجتماعی در گونه درام با بازی خوب لورا لینی و مارک روفالو و فیلنامه خوب کنت لنرگن بودکه به خوبی به معضل طلاق و زندگی بی بند و باری و اسیب های ناشی از اون اشاره میکنه

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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9	#9 Best Movie of 2000
68	#68 Most Discussed Movie of 2000
50	#50 Most Shared Movie of 2000