"Just because a relationship doesn't end in marriage and children doesn't mean it is a failure." - Ben Younger, director

The biggest problem with "Prime" is its marketing. The trailer for the film gives away the entire plot. There's no need for me to note a "Spoiler Alert" when I tell you that this film is about Uma Thurman having a relationship with a young man who turns out to be her therapist, Meryl Streep's, son. The trailer shows you many humorous moments of near misses where Streep figures out it is her son, then Thurman describes their sexual liaisons in intimate detail to the man's mother. Streep sees her son and patient in a store together and hides so that they don't see her. Then, one the situation is revealed, Thurman comes to Streep's house with her new boyfriend for dinner and the two become friends. All this is in the trailer. This is a good 75% of the movie.

The audience at the 2005 Austin Film Festival screening where I watched this film had obviously seen the trailer and read enough about the film to know these important plot points. Nobody laughed at the "reveal" that, unbeknownst to him the young man's mother was also his girlfriend's therapist. We all knew this well before it happened in the movie. Nearly all the humor and dramatic tension of this film is removed by seeing the trailer before you see the movie.

But writer/director Ben Younger ("Boiler Room"), has a few more tricks up his sleeve. Luckily his script and direction slowly reveals many subtle nuances and complexities to the relationships highlighted here that only the most intricate trailer could reveal. Let's just say that there are many differences between Thurman's model and her suitor, a young museum worker, that span variances in ages, class, economics, and religion. Younger provokes both drama and laughter from these differences with the sure hand of a magician providing a relationship and family comedy that stands head and shoulders above most in the genres.

Younger also has a perfect cast. Streep is hilarious. HILL-AIR-E-OUS. Adopting a sort of Jewish mother meets modern times persona, Streep is able to eek mileage from a part that a lesser actress might have much difficulty with. Moving from therapist to mother at lightning speed, her reactions here when Thurman's model begins discussing her sex life with the therapist's son are simply guffaw inducing. And while Streep uncovers her knack with comedy and Thurman brings forth her best character outside of a Tarantino film, the true find here is Bryan Greenberg (of the WB's "One Tree Hill") as David, the son and the lover. This young man, in addition to being extremely easy on the eyes, is also quite adept at bringing forth a complex and interesting character who never fall into cliche or typicality youthful goofiness. Granted, it is Younger's wise and witty script that acts as his blueprint here but Greenberg makes the part all his own and, working with Streep and Thurman, provides us with an engrossing entree into the film's plot and characters.

"Prime" is a sophisticated adult romantic comedy to be sure but it is one that those with enough humor in it to delight even the most jaded among us. And, unlike the majority of studio fare out lately, it has the balls and the heart to go into territory that many films seem shy about traversing. In away, it says a lot about the maturity of some film-goers and producers and studios that this film was made with it's wit, heart, and worldliness in tact.

Notes:

Also with Jon Abrahams, David Younger and Zak Orth.

Sandra Bullock was cast in the film but dropped out two weeks before shooting began when Younger would not change the script in the significant ways she requested.

Originally rated R by the MPAA, this was challenged and re-rated PG-13.

Antononi, Mark Rothko and John Coltrane are mentioned. A Rothko painting is important to the film.

Younger dedicated the film to his grandmother who died earlier this year.

Viewed at the Paramount Theater during AFF in October 2005 with my friend Johnny Oh!

Report Card

Script: A+

Acting: A+

Cinematography\Lighting: B+

Special Effects\Make Up: A

Music: B+

Final Grade: A+