Enough Said Parent Guide

Getting back in the dating game after her divorce is not something Eva (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) has been quick to do. She’s busy with her job as a masseuse and getting ready to send her only child (Tracey Fairaway) away to university. Albert (James Gandolfini) feels the same way. He is sending a daughter (Eve Hewson) off to fashion school in New York.

But despite expressing their mutual disinterest in the opposite gender when they meet at a party, the two single adults are soon on their first date. Right off the bat there are a few things Eva doesn’t like about Albert-like the size of his girth. However that doesn’t keep her from repeatedly hopping into bed with the man. And over time she begins to appreciate his good, if somewhat quirky, qualities.

Along the way, Eva finds a new client. Marianne (Catherine Keener) lives in a small but beautifully adorned home. She writes poetry for a living and loves to rag on her ex-husband during her massage appointments. Eva can’t help but form an image in her head of the slovenly, humorless man Marianne describes during their sessions. Then by coincidence Eva discovers Marianne’s ex and Albert are one and the same. Worried about making another disastrous relationship choice, Eva doesn’t reveal what she has learned to either Albert or Marianne. Instead she lets herself be influenced by Marianne’s derisive comments. Before long she becomes as critical of Albert as Marianne is-putting her new relationship on the line.

This film’s premise and the age of the actors won’t make it a popular pick with teens. Some adults, however, will be interested in seeing James Gandolfini in one of his final roles before his death in June 2013. Playing a middle-aged, single father with convincing charm, Gandolfini’s portrayal of this vulnerable character is a far cry from the Tony Soprano tough guy he has become famous for. On the other hand, Louis-Dreyfus’ Eva shares a number of qualities with another of the actress’s characters, Elaine Benes from Seinfeld. Like Elaine, Eva suffers from a lack of high moral conduct when it comes to relationships. Eva and Albert’s repeated romps in the bedroom also favorably promote the idea of casual and uncommitted sex. But while that is a decision between two consenting adults, her attitude toward sex becomes a bigger issue when Eva gives her approval to a young teen who wonders if she should have sex with boyfriend. The girl’s mother feels differently.

Enough Said says a lot about how others can color our views if we let them. Listening to her client’s constant gossip, Eva allows herself to be influenced by the judgments of an embittered, divorcée without considering the source-a decision that comes with a hefty cost. Seeing the price she pays may encourage audience members to avoid falling into the same trap because Enough Said is enough said.

About author

Kerry Bennett

Kerry Bennett is interested in media from both a journalist and parent perspective. Along with authoring articles for several family-oriented publications, she has written for Parent Previews for over 15 years. As a parent herself, she believes parents play a powerful role in teaching media literacy in their homes.