Enough Said is the latest occasional cinema offering from writer and director Nicole Holofcener whose mainly television credits include Six Feet Under and the witty Parks and Recreation.

It is a middle-aged rom-com centring on a budding relationship between two fifty-something divorcees Eva (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and Albert (James Gandolfini). Eva, an unfulfilled masseuse finds a common bond with the overweight and slightly slob-prone Albert, a television librarian. Both are struggling with the realisation that their respective daughters are soon to leave home and State as they go off to further education. Eva shares her experiences and details of her incipient romance with a coterie of friends, the therapist Sarah (Toni Collette) and successful poet Marianne (Catherine Keeler).

The film’s comedy, though pretty firmly rooted in safe, white bread territory is nonetheless both funny and nicely played. There are some very enjoyable set pieces and the dialogue between all the protagonists flows nicely – the characters are well drawn. There is distinct chemistry between Julia Louis-Dreyfus and James Gandolfini, in his penultimate screen performance. Eva’s slightly down-trodden persona matches nicely with Albert whose perceptive nous is perhaps under-rated by those who judge him on his physical appearance.

The twist, when it comes, relies on a previously latent and unknown familial relationship – a fairly common device for a rom-com. But, unlike the similar twist in Crazy, Stupid Love this one is both believable and within the flow of the film’s story.

The film’s main strength lies in the high quality of acting from the two romantic leads who are ably and well supported by Catherine Keeler and particularly Toni Collette. Gandolfini is given the strongest role by Holofcener – a wise decision, giving the film better balance with he being the only non-peripheral man in the piece.

The main criticism to be made is of the sub-standard editing which jars several times and is distinctly off-putting. The musical score is nothing to write home about either. But both these minuses need to be put into the context of an amiable and pleasant film which, whilst not delivering anything new, is well paced and engaging – it has no pretensions to be avant garde. It knows its niche and sticks to it.

Last year, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel defied the mainstream critics and became a success  as it found an audience who enjoyed the sight of people far from the first flush of youth who had not given up on love or the idea of sex. I believe Enough Said might enjoy support from a similar audience. It deserves it.

****

Tim Meade