Prime (2005)

Honestly, this is prime entertainment...

There's just something so inviting about a film starring the great Meryl Streep and the deliciously enticing Uma Thurman. With that said, `Prime' delivers the goods, giving us a supremely funny while ultimately honest look at a relationship doomed from the very start. It does play to some overseen clichés from time to time, but for the most part `Prime' is true to itself and I must say that, to its credit, the ending was not predictable. That's all I'll say about that; I don't want to spoil anything.

`Prime' tells the story of middle-aged divorcee Rafi Gardet (I say middle-aged, but she's not quite there yet) who finds herself in a romantic relationship with a young painter named David Bloomberg; young as in 23 to her 37. The relationship, while odd at first, grows nicely on the couple who genuinely appear to be falling in love with one another. There's only one problem, and that problem is Rafi's therapist Lisa Metzger who just so happens to be David's mother.

What makes `Prime' work so well is the chemistry between its stars. We all know that Meryl and Uma are great actresses, but that doesn't always spell out success. This time it does. Both Uma and Meryl mesh so well together you never get a feeling of forced comedy between them. They are enjoying themselves and thus we are enjoying them. Even better though is the romantic chemistry between Thurman and Bryan Greenberg. It's not hard to imagine falling for the beautiful Uma Thurman, but just because she's attractive doesn't mean you can fake the kind of intimacy needed to make this film work. Thurman and Greenberg are so natural together, so believable tender and affectionate that you fall in love along with them.

`Prime' may seem familiar in scenes; I'm not denying that there are streams of unoriginality here; but `Prime' handles things in a very mature way. This is not the comedy I expected to see walking into it. I really expected your run of the mill gag-filled romantic comedy but `Prime' offers the audience a sense of relatability that all too often goes missing in rom-coms today.

In the end I highly recommend `Prime'. It's funny, witty and sweet but most of all, it's sincere. Thurman is breathtaking, Greenberg is charming and Streep is a scene stealing hoot. This is truly a prime example of a movie giving its audience what they truly deserve. April 23, 2008

Another New York chick flick

The older woman, younger man theme is just really harsh.
Add a Jewish doctor for a mother who is treating the
older woman after her divorce and you get a disaster that
really never convinces us of more than animal passion.
As a basis for a long term marriage with children,
a "happy ending" is probably a disaster?
It takes more for a successful marriage than just lust... March 27, 2008

Great Romantic Comedy

I really loved this movie, it is by far the best romantic movie I have seen in years. The actors all do such an amazing job, especialy Bryan Greenburg. I had never heard of this young actor, but now i am a huge fan. He made his character so endearing and real. It is a great, feel-good, hope for love one day kind of movie. January 7, 2008

Fails to deliver on the promise of the premise

Strong comic premise and megastar casting oversell what is ultimately the script for a B-grade romantic drama about mismatched couples and emotional (im)maturity. Pitched as a romantic comedy with a deep vein of social embarrassment just waiting to be mined, it simply fails to deliver on the promise. Redeemed somewhat by likeable leads, Streep's occasional magic, and a bittersweet ending that refuses to indulge the romantic fantasies of its intended audience. December 17, 2007

Surprisingly entertaining and smart romantic comedy

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

The more I think of "Prime" (2005) the more I like it. Comparing to majority of recent romantic comedies, it is smart, interesting, and honest in the way it explores the relationship between an older woman and a younger man and many problems they have to encounter and to deal with.

The movie written/directed by Ben Young takes place in the NYC and features a romance between Rafi (Uma Thurman), newly divorced 37 year old and 24 year old kid named Dave. Following her rather bitter and painful divorce, Rafi sees a psychoanalyst named Lisa Metzger (Meryl Streep) who turns out to be the mother of Dave and to whom Rafi unknowingly tells all details including very intimate sexual ones pertaining to her relationship with a young man. When Lisa finds out who the young boyfriend of her patient is, she goes through more than one shock - what complicates the matter even more for Lisa is the fact that Dave is Jewish while Rafi is not. Meryl Streep keeps fascinating me in every movie she graces with her appearance. She makes any movie worth watching bringing depth, class, subtleties, and genuine emotions in all her characters. Uma Thurman was a match for Streep in their scenes together, and they were joy to behold.

I loved the movie's ending - there were no questions and no obligatory explanations between the characters. It was not happy (in Hollywood sense) but realistic way to end the relationship. As time passes, life goes on, and we see two people who once had been happy together and even if they were not meant for each other, the memories of happiness would always stay with them.

Perhaps the "Prime" hit a little close to home - I am a mother of two sons in their 20s and they are always on my mind. I do worry about them and about the choices they make and will make in their lives but I hope that I am not as crazy as Lisa Metzger was. :)

3.5/5
August 23, 2007

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