That's how good he plays his roles - his characters are of the every man: not extraordinarily handsome, nor distinguishable in voice or gait, yet he has his Mark Ruffalo air about him. Writer-director Austin Chick's debut film "XX/XY" is a conscientious effort in telling it like it is the ordinary affairs of the heart of one man, three women. The jazzy rhythm (music by The Insects) of the opening song in French "Le Soleil est Revenu" sets the tone as the camera (DP: Uta Briesewitz) follows Mark's character, Cole, along NYC subway in a spontaneous way. It reminds me of French w-d Eric Rohmer's filmic style.
In order to appreciate the film fully, the first half of the formative years provides history to the storyline. The three friends - originally started out as a young man and a young woman courting in the college dorm, she then includes her roommate Thea (Kathleen Robertson) in the mix, and eventually became un ménage à trois. The story progression seem familiar: people loving each other yet on the surface, they appear to be 'free spirits' who would tolerate free love with no committed ties to anyone. But we can see Sam (Maya Stange) deep down does yearn for being with Cole and probably likewise for Cole, yet somehow fear and mistrust led to woeful breakup without a chance of soulful communication.
Yes, Ruffalo is the perfect Cole. Good at his illustrative skills, caustic at his delivery of ad campaigns, he can gloss over relationship issues when facing Claire (Petra Wright), his 5-year partner since his split with Sam 10 years ago. He weaves truth like a pro. It's irresistible not to dislike him.
"Love means never having to say you're sorry" (Love Story" 1970). But Cole does want to say he's sorry even though he's not sorry - he doesn't know he is not sorry. It's in his nature that he can't be sorry even though he says so, or wanted it so - that he's sorry. (This is sounding awfully like psychiatrist R.D. Laing's book "Knots"). It's a Möbius strip of an endless trait.
I love the ingenious door closing scene: you can see (you don't really see him) that he's holding onto the door not letting it close (as though once closed, any remaining strands of Sam will be cut off.) Now you really have to help him to let go and close it shut. Good for Claire (we don't see her either - assuming that it's her trying to close the door). Smilingly I see hope. Lucky for Cole, Claire knows him well enough and would know how to tackle love with this "never want to grow up" boy of a man. I like the strength demonstrated by Wright's Claire.
Kudos to Austin Chick for his script and direction. The story has its suspense of moments: how will Cole come out of this? What will happen next? Is Sam's staying? How will Claire react? It was brilliant casting (by Ellen Parks) of the 3 different women in Cole's life (Stange/Robertson/Wright), and of course, Mark Ruffalo - he's the one - you can count on him.
Ruffalo is in Bruno Barreto's "View From the Top" 2003, with Gwyneth Paltrow and co. It's a more relaxing role for him, rather fun actually. He's also in Rod Lurie's "The Last Castle" 2001, opposite Robert Redford, James Gandolfini and co.
In order to appreciate the film fully, the first half of the formative years provides history to the storyline. The three friends - originally started out as a young man and a young woman courting in the college dorm, she then includes her roommate Thea (Kathleen Robertson) in the mix, and eventually became un ménage à trois. The story progression seem familiar: people loving each other yet on the surface, they appear to be 'free spirits' who would tolerate free love with no committed ties to anyone. But we can see Sam (Maya Stange) deep down does yearn for being with Cole and probably likewise for Cole, yet somehow fear and mistrust led to woeful breakup without a chance of soulful communication.
Yes, Ruffalo is the perfect Cole. Good at his illustrative skills, caustic at his delivery of ad campaigns, he can gloss over relationship issues when facing Claire (Petra Wright), his 5-year partner since his split with Sam 10 years ago. He weaves truth like a pro. It's irresistible not to dislike him.
"Love means never having to say you're sorry" (Love Story" 1970). But Cole does want to say he's sorry even though he's not sorry - he doesn't know he is not sorry. It's in his nature that he can't be sorry even though he says so, or wanted it so - that he's sorry. (This is sounding awfully like psychiatrist R.D. Laing's book "Knots"). It's a Möbius strip of an endless trait.
I love the ingenious door closing scene: you can see (you don't really see him) that he's holding onto the door not letting it close (as though once closed, any remaining strands of Sam will be cut off.) Now you really have to help him to let go and close it shut. Good for Claire (we don't see her either - assuming that it's her trying to close the door). Smilingly I see hope. Lucky for Cole, Claire knows him well enough and would know how to tackle love with this "never want to grow up" boy of a man. I like the strength demonstrated by Wright's Claire.
Kudos to Austin Chick for his script and direction. The story has its suspense of moments: how will Cole come out of this? What will happen next? Is Sam's staying? How will Claire react? It was brilliant casting (by Ellen Parks) of the 3 different women in Cole's life (Stange/Robertson/Wright), and of course, Mark Ruffalo - he's the one - you can count on him.
Ruffalo is in Bruno Barreto's "View From the Top" 2003, with Gwyneth Paltrow and co. It's a more relaxing role for him, rather fun actually. He's also in Rod Lurie's "The Last Castle" 2001, opposite Robert Redford, James Gandolfini and co.