A gay couple is forced to move into separate apartments when their marriage threatens the sensibilities of one's employer. An acting master class by John Lithgow and Alfred Molina with a fine supporting performance by Marissa Tomei highlight this softly moving story. The main conflicts are sometimes funny and sometimes quite dramatic and always genuine. Both main characters' loneliness figures prominently in the film's action, and its rendering is quite touching. While the film is "issue-driven," dealing with the injustices inflicted against gays and the affordability of real estate in Manhattan, it stays focused on the characters, which is its primary strength. Overall, Lithgow and Molina together create a gem.

American director Ira Sachs' work is clearly a movie made for devotees of reflective film and not mainstream box office. Sachs also co-produced and writes this account of disparate relationships. The fabricated arrangement gives way to some admittedly contrived situations manufactured in the interest of extracting a reaction. Alfred Molina and John Lithgow are extraordinarily good as the displaced couple. They lend a gravity to their characters that raise this chronicle to a higher level. Despite the narrative's handling of the hot button topic of same sex marriage, the real story exploits genuine emotion as it deals with the many-sided personalities in an extended family. This is a subtle production that has universal appeal. Whether they're singing at a piano to guests at a party or reflecting on what has become of their lives in separate bunk beds, Molina and Lithgow give nuanced performances. Yet the script accomplishes so much more. Love is Strange is a well written drama that beautifully handles the observational insights of a family tree and the way a simple crisis affects its many branches. fastfilmreviews.com