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Prime (2005)
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Reviews Counted:115
Fresh:56
Rotten:59
Average Rating:5.6/10
Consensus: Though Streep is dependably terrific in her role, the rest of the movie is too sitcom-ish, and the romance itself is dull.
Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for sexual content including dialogue, and for language
Runtime: 1 hr 46 mins
Genre: Romance, Theatrical Release
Theatrical Release:Oct 28, 2005 Wide
Box Office: $22,728,025
Synopsis: New York City forms the backdrop for writer/director Ben Younger's (BOILER ROOM) PRIME, a gentle comedy that weaves a tale of two lovers trying to keep the flame alive as an unusual obstacle is... New York City forms the backdrop for writer/director Ben Younger's (BOILER ROOM) PRIME, a gentle comedy that weaves a tale of two lovers trying to keep the flame alive as an unusual obstacle is hurled in their path. Rafi Gardet (Uma Thurman) is a newly divorced 37-year-old career woman who regularly spills her woes to her therapist, Lisa Metzger (Meryl Streep). Rafi's love life takes a sudden upturn when she meets Bryan Greenberg (David Bloomberg), a penniless painter who lives on the Lower East Side with his grandparents and, at 23, is significantly younger than Rafi. Uptown girl Rafi isn't used to such differences in age and location, but the sex is great, and Bryan seems attentive enough, so she jubilantly tells Lisa in passionate detail about their blossoming relationship. The trouble is, the more Rafi tells her, the more Lisa realizes that the hot young boy-toy Rafi is busy seducing on a nightly basis is, in fact, her own son. The problems mount, with Rafi's status as a gentile not going over well with Bryan's Jewish family, and Lisa unable to decide whether to stop the therapy sessions or not. Younger delivers a heady mixture of laughs and salient points in a film that settles snugly into familiar early-21st-century territory for romantic-comedy fans. He peppers the action with product placement, warm pastel colors in spacious FRIENDS-style New York apartments, and bitter recriminations that quickly turn to passionate makeup sex on more than one occasion. The director clearly enjoys a love affair with the city, with swooping shots throughout of the late-night Manhattan skyline providing the perfect setting as his two leads act out their bittersweet union. [More]
Starring: Uma Thurman, Meryl Streep, Bryan Greenberg, Jon Abrahams
Starring: Uma Thurman, Meryl Streep, Bryan Greenberg, Jon Abrahams, Zak Orth
Director: Ben Younger
Director: Ben Younger
Screenwriter: Ben Younger
Producer: Jennifer Todd, Suzanne Todd
Studio: Universal Pictures
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Reviews for Prime
A solid romantic comedy that benefits from its ambition to look at the importance of age and religious differences, even if it could have gone deeper.
It's pretentiously clever premise executed in a very conventional, and ultimately dull manner, Prime is an intended heartbreaker that in execution is an extended flatline.
Never really rises above comedic fluff, no matter how introspective or bittersweet it becomes.
The highlight of this complex love story is the moment when Meryl Streep's conservative therapist realises that the intimate details her vulnerable patient (Uma Thurman) is sharing with her, are actually about her own son.
The odd thing about Prime is that the film is so neatly constructed and the story so engaging, I have little to say besides please go see it.
...boasts a strong cast, but sticks it in too many contrived sitcom scenarios that detract from much of the emotional impact.
Abrahams and Streep simply steal a movie dominated by two less interesting characters.
A surprisingly wise, mature and difficult look at psychiatric ethics and the inherent problems of dating outside one's age bracket.
Well, I‘m still not sure why this movie is called “Prime.” But regardless of its title, it’s an enjoyable, intelligent romantic comedy that has its share of drama, too.
If anyone is in their 'prime' it is Meryl Streep who just keeps getting better
The laughs in 'Prime' keep coming, as do hopes for someone to have a happy ending.
Younger is correct that considerations such as age, religion and circumstance can be enough to keep people from simply loving each other. And he's able to wring decent comedy from a sad reality.
The writing and direction by Ben Younger is crisp and insightful enough to prevail, and the performances are all very good.
Prime is an amiable but woefully predictable clunky comedy in search for refreshing wackiness spearheaded by its May/December kissy-poo combatants.
Prime sometimes feel as if the movie itself hasn't fully formed or matured. Ironic, yes, so it's nice that it has Streep and Thurman to pull you through.
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