Review
Neil Turitz's amateurish debut, Two Ninas, traffics in the same grainy rawness as Edward Burns did in his own first film, The Brothers McMullen. Fortunately, it also has some of that film's heart. And in a strange phenomenon, it radically matures as the narrative moves forward. Since films are typically shot out of sequence, one shouldn't notice greater competence in later portions than earlier ones, but Two Ninas finds its footing after a shaky beginning. During the film's stultifying first act, Turitz shoots his two male leads (narrator Bray Poor and Ron Livingston) from a distance of a good twenty feet at all times. It's a perfect metaphor for his own emotional distance from them: they are stock types given clumsy banter and wooden questions to ask each other about life and love. As the camera starts to move in closer, the actors' natural charms and talents start to produce real characters who seem like actual buddies -- as if the writing, performances and technical details all shed their nervous jitters at the same moment. A spirit of warmth carries the rest of the film, making a surprisingly fond romantic hero out of a guy (Livingston) who's lying to and cheating on two women with the same name. Only one of the Ninas deserves credit for buoying the warmth: Cara Buono, who outclasses future star Amanda Peet at every step of the way. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
Synopsis
After a long lonely period of involuntary celibacy, Marty Sachs decides that he has had enough of New York and wants to pack up and run the family business in Maine. Yet before he leaves, he meets two available, attractive women, both named Nina. Nina Cohen shares many of the same eccentric interests as Marty, but she has grow gun-shy from one too many bad relationships. Blonde bombshell Nina Harris literally knocks Marty off his feet in an ill-fated attempt at snagging a cab. Two Ninas was screened at the 1999 Boston Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
