Like Sunday, Like Rain (2014) User Reviews

A different kind of love story

[bobbobwhite · 8/10 · 24 August 2015]

Reggie, what a gifted boy he was. Too bright, too talented and too mature for his peers and for his teachers too in his toney NYC private school, but even with those great advantages, he was overlooked and ignored by his rich parents, who were too selfish and busy to give him proper attention for his young boy needs of love, friendship and acceptance. Thus, they gave that job to a caring immigrant maid and a new, 23 year-old, female au pair, who was just looking for a job after a breakup with her rocker band boy friend. The relationship that developed between this boy and his au pair was this story.

Reggie was a cello prodigy, a math prodigy, and a maturity prodigy for a 12 year old. He was also an old soul, much deeper than his years and those of older others in seeing what was wrong around him but also what he needed and so lacked in his life. His new au pair, a lapsed cornet player trying to get some order in her life, bonded with him in a near older sister-younger brother relationship, but better than that, more than that. Sometimes it was not clear who the older, more mature one was. Reggie was that gifted and special. And, she was special in that she was such a good and needed friend who treated Reggie as an equal, not as a kid. Thus, their bond was so much tighter and caring and, yes, loving, than would be typical for their differing ages, thus it was so much harder for both when it had to end.

The development of their close ties meant that when it came time for her to get on with her life and leave, both would find it very difficult. Reggie was stunned by the separation, yes, but he had found from this friendship the confident awareness that there was at least one person this world whom he could finally relate to and care deeply about, and who cared deeply for him, and it was also clear that his life had been so enhanced by the friendship. He was no longer alone in his heart.

A beautiful, classical sound track throughout, with a haunting and original cello/cornet piece at the end. This is the kind of heartfelt and realistically-paced film Hollywood does not make, so see it if you want a sweet, touching and believable human story instead of more CGI monsters.

Bittersweet

[Moviegoer19 · 8/10 · 10 October 2020]

The best thing about 'Like Sunday, Like Rain' is that it portrays what is basically a love story between an adult woman and a twelve year old boy and doesn't sexualize it. By the end of the film I was impressed that the writer and director did not go down that road. In light of that, I really enjoyed watching a connection between two people that could be described as love without the influence of lust. Even when Eleanor and Reggie visited Eleanor's family, I held my breath, waiting to see if any of them would broach the subject. None of them did. In a way, the subject of sexuality was both opened and closed early on by Reggie's friend who, when speaking to Reggie, referred to Eleanor as "his hot nanny." And Reggie dismissed the comment.

That said, I have to admit I was kind of disappointed by the ending though I understand the rationale for it. It's practical and clean. There is a break between the characters, but each of them is left better off by the relationship by solidifying their own relationships with their creativity. I guess because I so enjoyed the love aspect, I thought there could have been a reference to the future, e.g., one of them could have said, let's get together in ten years. Or, after they each go their own way, there could have been a screen that said, "Ten Years Later" and then a scene in the future in which they bump into each other on a NYC street (or wherever).

Then again, a sequel is most definitely implicated.

Beautiful film

[spdr11 · 8/10 · 16 October 2014]

This drama paints a striking portrait of Reggie (Julian Shatkin), a wealthy and neglected twelve-year-old prodigy with the maturity of a middle-aged man; and Eleanor ( Leighton Meester), a broke ex-musician in her twenties recently out of work, boyfriend and home, who lands a job as Reggie's au pair for the summer in Manhattan while his mother (Debra Messing) travels overseas. Written and directed by Frank Whaley, produced by Uri Singer, and breathtaking cinematography by James Jones.

This film took a very different, almost romantic approach with a charming, artistic, sensitive yet domineering child rather than the traditional spoiled brat who hates the nanny. The two hit it off right away. Eleanor naturally accepts his maturity and treats him as an equal when she realizes that trying to be the grown-up in the relationship is pointless in the company of a genius. In many ways, Reggie takes better care of her than she does of him.

The conflict doesn't stem from the relationship between these two unlikely friends, but from their personal lives. This could have been why it felt a bit lacking in conflict overall, because no major problems arise between the two main characters. However, this blossoming friendship is where the unexpected bulk of the humor comes from, with witty and surprising dialogue between these very different but equally troubled characters learning how to co-exist.

Several things were set up or talked about that were never paid off, which underplayed the conflict and there wasn't enough of a resolution. Rather than showing how the characters have grown or been changed and strengthened by one another, the whole final act kind of feels like a montage of shots of them missing each other while trying to go back to their previous lives.

Very good acting, Julian Shatkin is phenomenal, the film is worth watching for his performance alone; not to take away from the rest of the cast. Leighton Meester is very natural in her role, Debra Messing is quite funny as an unjustifiably stressed-out woman whose normal routine includes going to the spa and on exotic vacations; and Georgia Ximenes Lifsherr is hilarious as Eleanor's best friend Silvia. Even Eleanor's parents who, while not in much of the film, manage to stay memorable with their hostile quirks. We weren't very impressed with Billie Joe Armstrong's performance as Dennis, Eleanor's boyfriend. His style was pretty over-the-top and childlike, very "acty," not terribly believable. Overall film score: 9/10. Here's the breakdown:

– Story: 8/10 — Characters: 10/10 — Acting: 9/10 (would be 10/10 if not for Billie Joe's performance) — Cinematography: 10/10 — Soundtrack: 10/10 — Most Lacked: Conflict & Character Arc

The making of an unlikely but blossoming friendship

[paul-allaer · 7/10 · 25 April 2015]

"Like Sunday, Like Rain" (2014 release; 105 min.) brings the story of Eleanor and Reggie. As the movie opens, we see Reggie wake up and start his day. Reggie is a 12 yr. old wunderkind who plays the cello and is a math-whiz, but he's also living a pretty lonely existence even if in a well-to-do environment. His mom is having a fit because the live-in nanny just quit (or was forced to leave the country because of her visa). In a parallel story, we also get to know Eleanor, in her early 20s. She also just woke up, realizing her boyfriend never came home the night before. It's not long before Eleanor breaks up and moves out, and in a subsequent confrontation by her ex-boyfriend at her work, she is fired from her waitressing job. In desperation, Eleanor goes to a temp agency for nannies, and as luck would have it, she is hired as the new live-in nanny for Reggie. As this point we're not even 15 min. into the movie but to tell you more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is the latest movie written and directed by actor Frank Whaley. This time he chooses to bring the story of an unlikely but blossoming friendship between Reggie and Eleanor. Reggie needs Eleanor just as much as she needs him, in fact she may need Reggie more, as she is down on her luck, with an annoying boyfriend, an ailing father and a strained relationship with the rest of her family. Beware: this movie is not for anyone in a hurry, and there is no major plot to speak of, so if you don't like a movie where there's lot of talking and little or no action, do yourself a favor and watch something else. It is a darn shame that this movie is rated "R" (the F word is used twice, and it wasn't even necessary and didn't make the movie any more "authentic"), as a key potential audience (the 14 to 17 yr. old) is probably not going to get to see this now. As to the acting performances, both leads (Leighton Meester as Elanor and Julian Shatkin as Reggie) give stellar performances and I hope we'll see more of them in due course. However, Billie Joe Armstrong (yes, he of Green Day) is completely miscast as Eleanor's boyfriend (for one, he is WAY too old, and for another, his acting skills are lacking). Also, there is a fair amount of classical music in the movie, so if that's not your thing, beware. I quite liked the classical segments, and the overall musical score, courtesy of Ed Hardcourt. Bottom line: not knowing much of anything about this movie before seeing it, I was pleasantly surprised by this and charmed from start to finish.

This movie was shot in New York 2 years ago, and shown at various film festivals last year. Why it's taken this long to appear in the theaters, I have no idea. I recently saw this at the Silverspot Cinema in Naples, FL. The matinée screening where I saw this at was attended okay but not great. If you are ready for something other than the usual "Furious 7" or "Ant-Man" fare that Hollywood is sending our way, this movie might just do the trick for you. "Like Sunday, Like Rain" is definitely worth checking out, be it in the theater or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray.

Like Life, Like Indie Film

[tigerfish50 · 6/10 · 5 January 2016]

When Brooklyn waitress Eleanor has a sudden break-up with her fractious boyfriend, she needs a new job and roof over her head as soon as possible. She lucks out finding a position as live-in nanny to precocious, privileged Reggie who lives in a luxurious apartment on the upper west side of NYC. Both characters deal with their dysfunctional family backgrounds by maintaining reserved exteriors, and this unusual small-scale film portrays the developing relationship between a blue-collar young woman and the neglected twelve year old.

The story begins slowly and continues at a leisurely pace throughout. Although nothing very dramatic occurs, their bond gradually deepens as they spend time with one another and discover a common interest in music. Leighton Meester and Julian Shatkin give nicely observed performances in the lead roles, but the script doesn't give them anywhere especially interesting to go, although there are some emotional ripples when Reggie accompanies Eleanor back to her upstate home due to a family crisis. Their story eventually arrives at an understated conclusion.

Distinctive, enigmatic and fleeting

[Stewball · 10/10 · 5 April 2015]

10/10 Masterpiece. Some are calling this melancholy, but I think bittersweet is a better word. Above all, it's a story about a 12 year-old music prodigy being played by a c. 12 year-old acting prodigy. As good as child acting has gotten, few if any could have pulled this off as well. What's the significance of 12? It's that age where you're as mature as you're going to get before the onset of puberty. But what if your emotional maturity and profound awareness outstrip your physical growth? It's about resigning yourself to your solitude, until.... The result is a bittersweet gulf between two otherwise kindred souls. This isn't about dramatic friction, it's about something distinctive, enigmatic and fleeting. It's like playing a beautiful tune on a cello in an empty swimming pool with good acoustics. It's like Sunday, like rain.

Maybe the best "child" performance ever.

Is a 12-year age gap too much for a boy in love?

[TxMike · 18 February 2016]

We found this movie on Netflix streaming, it is very nicely done and contains a good message.

The story centers almost equally on two characters - a 12-yr-old boy and his 24-yr-old Au Pair. Julian Shatkin is a 12-yr-old genius and cello prodigy Reggie. At one point when his quartet had finished practicing a piece, when asked what it was, he stated that he wrote it. He was always ahead in his school studies, and in class often is staring out the window but knows exactly what the teacher is teaching and can answer any question.

But Reggie is lonely. He lives in an upper East Side mansion of sorts in Manhattan, his father is a businessman often out of the country, and his mother, expertly played by Debra Messing as Mom Barbara, is joyless shrew who pretty much leaves her son to the limo driver.

His Au pair has to return to Mexico so Barbara starts a quick search for a replacement. Luckily, Leighton Meester as Eleanor just moved out of her boyfriend's place after yet another incident of his irresponsibility and she is looking for a job, any job. Barbara interviews her and asks when she can start. That afternoon would be ideal. Eleanor has all her belongings with her in a roll-around suitcase so is delighted.

In many ways this story reminds me of Willy (Tim Hutton) and Marty (Natalie Portman) in "Beautiful Girls". In that story Willy is a seemingly lost musician and Marty is the young girl who suggests that he wait a few years so that they can be lovers for eternity.

In this movie, as it turns out, Eleanor in high school WAS an outstanding musician, a cornet player with an opportunity to attend Juliard, but life and finances got in the way. So part of her character's arc here is to regain her interest in her music. She sees young Reggie as a kid to take care of but Reggie sees her as perhaps the love of his life but he doesn't quite know how to handle it.

There is a touching final scene where Eleanor has left to go back home and figure out what she will do, Reggie is still in NYC, he is playing cello and she is playing the cornet part that he wrote for her. A duet miles apart.

Good movie, maybe I enjoyed it more because I am a musician too, coincidentally a cornet player.

Oct 2020 update: I watched it again on Amazon streaming movies, I probably enjoyed it a bit more than the first time almost 5 years ago. Good movie.

Smart and deep

[Ana_Banana · 7/10 · 25 July 2015]

A movie with intelligent premise and dialog and with restrained acting stands out by itself these days. This one's unusual plot adds to the appeal, but the ending is a bit disappointing regarding the characters' development. Overall, the apparently unlikely emotional connection between the two main characters gets more and more believable over the film, and one wonders what would have become of them if the age gap was smaller and the circumstances were different. Or perhaps despite that, in the end all that counts is pure friendship, no matter our differences.

A cynical would say this film had a romantic comedy formula: boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, they separate (and in the end they are back together if it's a comedy). Why did she have to leave? It was so romantic and gave way for intensely emotional scenes, but when you think about it, her leave is somewhat forced and not entirely justified. She could have moved in the city, gotten back into music and maintained their friendship. And in a few years could have gone cougar on him (crude joke alert!). Now seriously, a smart girl like her could have made a better choice, and a smart filmmaker who made this good film could have made a better editing towards the ending.

A beautiful movie, it's a must watch .

[yesmineisb · 10/10 · 28 June 2015]

This is such a beautiful simple movie , i loved every second of it and i really didn't want it to end. the casting is amazing that little boy is really talented and Leighton Messter is one of the best actresses out there. It's a must see movie. The movie will keep you absorbed and interested until the end even though it is really slow pased. It is also beautifully written the script was amazing it was like wise poetry in some way. this movie goes straight to my all time favourites and i will be rewatching it as soon as i can. the main soundtrack "like Sunday like Rain" is also amazing such beautiful sad music that goes perfectly with the kid's and the Nanny's current situation. absolutely beautiful.

A Good Family Drama Hard to Rate

[tabuno · 7/10 · 13 January 2019]

17 February 2016. There are reasons this movie might be an "eight" instead of a "seven," but there still remains the inherent fundamental weakness in its very attempt at qualitative greatness. What so great about this movie is its avoidance of the pretentious, mainstream dramatic plot outline that directs the pacing and acting and plot of the entire story. Like Sunday, Like Rain dismisses such pablum for an excellent independent style movie narrative. Yet it is the very attempt of this focus on independence that part of the story seems to lose. Unlike Lost In Translation (2003) where the focus is almost required by the story to be exclusively on two people, Frank Whaley directs his own script with a number of characters several of which seem to have some importance to the story but don't seem to get be developed very well nor tied up very well. In short a number of characters are introduced and them dumped. With Room (2015), the nature and the focus on two primary characters being the essence of the story can command the entire movie when necessary. Even years before Richard Dreyfus's Mr. Holland's Opus (1995), his portrayal in a multi-layered duo character movie The Competition (1980) regardless Dreyfus's worse actor award notwithstanding review how consistently engrossing and emotively appealing a movie can be.

It grew on me...

[ltlrags-1 · 5/10 · 19 March 2016]

I almost turned this off after the first 15 minutes. There was some truly horrible acting, primarily from bit parts, but the story soon focuses on the Nanny (Eleanor, played by Leighton Meester) and the boy (Reggie, played by Julian Shatkin), and things begin to improve. It also took a while for young Julian Shatkin to grow on me, but eventually his nearly emotionless portrayal opens up with more facial expression and age appropriate gestures. He seems to take on more personality as the chemistry between him and Ms. Meester grows. The acting continues to be unbalanced, mostly when Reggie is acting so precocious, which is when lines are delivered with the least emotion.

My biggest complaint about the movie is that the cello scenes weren't staged better. Mr. Shatkin shouldn't bear the weight of portraying a "cello prodigy" in those scenes since he doesn't play the cello. The music is described as "beautiful" in the dialogue, but I don't see it. In one scene the camera stays on Eleanor as she ascends a flight of stairs with music in the soundtrack, but there is no shot of Reggie playing. For all we know, she's just exploring the house, not following the "beautiful" sound of the boy playing. How about some close ups of a cello being played well, by a real cello player with young hands?

Meester Masters Her Role as Eleanor

[DavidMovieReview · 8/10 · 1 August 2015]

Julian Shatkin did quite well playing a preteen savant named Reggie, considering his age, but writer/director, Frank Whaley, let him down. The role would have been more believable had Whaley given him a wider emotional range (and, in my view, it's the director's job to coax the writer into writing each character equally well - funny that the director did not have that conversation with himself as the writer!). From the start of the movie, the boy's isolation is palpable as his mother plans to leave him on travels. (Debra Messing plays her well, but the part is limited and is only consequential in that it shows how emotionally deprived Reggie was.) He "snaps" at his friend at one point, as he put it, but compared to the frustrations of dealing with adults and children who rarely understand him or his choices, there was not enough emotion, particularly not enough anger. I feel his character loses a certain amount of aliveness because of it.

In great contrast, Whaley was able to figure out Eleanor's (the nanny's) emotions, and Leighton Meester was in turn able to play those emotions brilliantly.

After the movie ended, I attempted to flash back to moments where Leighton had not played her role authentically, and could not find any such moment. That's how great her acting is. The fierceness of her initial confrontation with her boyfriend was placed into context by our understanding of her family that followed. A beautiful young woman emerges from the initial mess, and we quickly find that she possesses advanced maternal instincts toward Reggie, supporting him exactly as he is, with all his awkward brilliance, even as he bends her to his wishes along the way. Her character is no pushover and she has her own plans, caring for her own soul as well.

Overall, the film is well worth watching, as it will move you, and you may even understand what children need a bit better. They need love. Leighton Meester clearly has that love in her, and her performance is a credit both to her and to Whaley. Yes, both actress and writer/director got Eleanor exactly right.

A testament to the fact that you never know what you'll get with Frank Whaley

[StevePulaski · 7/10 · 23 September 2015]

Like Sunday, Like Rain, at first, focuses on the lives of two separate individuals in Brooklyn, one of whom, a twentysomething woman named Eleanor (Leighton Meester) who breaks up with her obnoxious, rock-star boyfriend (Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong) and moves in with her friend, and the other, a cynical, twelve-year-old prodigy named Reggie (Julian Shatkin), who, despite so young and full of talents, is skeptical of all aspects of life. Their paths cross when Eleanor's boyfriend costs her the only job she's ostensibly ever held down, a barista position at a local coffee shop, leading her to accept a job babysitting Reggie while his mother is out of town.

Reggie is about as cynical as a sixty-five-year-old war veteran is about the current state of America and that's putting it mildly. Still largely treated like a child by his own mother and only finding temporary companionship in his maid, Reggie spends his days in his castle-of-a-home playing the cello, composing, or simply indulging in his own thoughts, all things he taught himself how to do. Reggie's misery doesn't stem from any one certain circumstance; he's adopted cynicism as the religion of his life, remaining skeptical of most people he meets in addition to writing things off immediately without trying anything new.

Eleanor is the first soul in a long time to really resonate with him, mainly because she finds him interesting despite all the bottled up frustration he holds inside. Thankfully, Eleanor has the privilege of being played by Leighton Meester, a lovely and often overshadowed young actress in the face of similar actresses like Brie Larson and Rosemarie DeWitt. Meester's strengths here largely stem from her ability to be a natural screen presence, never asserting her character in a dramatic light, and Shatkin - in one of his first film roles - has the exquisite ability to perform long, sometimes complicated, monologues about his opinions that would even make a seasoned performer stumble over their words.

The film was written and directed by Frank Whaley, a solid character actor and an even better director; this is his first film since the unseen and unfairly bashed New York City Serenade in 2007. This particular effort seems to catch Whaley in a more contemplative mood, one that features the complications and insights of the world being defined by a prepubescent teenager that feels he has figured the world out. With that in mind, one can tell this is less a realistic film and more a "what if?" kind of film. Reggie doesn't speak nor act like any twelve-year-old I believe to exist (maybe sixteen-year-old, but not a twelve-year-old), and it's hard to believe these kind of profound bouts of cynicism in life would begin earlier than high school or college.

Yet, Whaley himself might even recognize that Reggie's cynicism is a bit premature for his age, and with that, might want us to focus more on the chemistry or the smooth flow of the dialog in the film. Consider the scene where Eleanor and Reggie lie on the grass, with Reggie doing something he probably doesn't do with people too often and that's open up about his true feelings towards Eleanor on a friend level. Whaley makes it so these scenes of chemistry and a young man coming to terms with how his attitude polarizes people make it so that the lack of dialog-realism doesn't become such a distraction.

Like Sunday, Like Rain doesn't appear to have the kind of long-term effect Whaley's other films have, such as the somber effect I had for days upon seeing The Jimmy Show or the incorruptible cheerfulness I had upon seeing New York City Serenade. However, this reminds me that I'll never know exactly what Whaley will make next or how he'll approach his subject matter; he has now made four directorial efforts, each different from the last and all capable of producing different thoughts and emotions. It's hard enough to do that, let alone remain relevant for decades when you mostly have supporting character roles in films.

Starring: Leighton Meester, Julian Shatkin, and Billie Joe Armstrong. Directed by: Frank Whaley.

Been Done Before and Way, Way Better

[billmarsano · 1/10 · 8 June 2016]

An effective alternative to water-boarding, this piece of cinematic rubbish goes like this (I clicked for spoilers but why?--what's rotten is already spoilt. Anyway: young woman still 'finding her way in life' is fired when her boyfriend, who truly raises the bar for other would-be jackasses, makes a scene at the joint where she tends bar. Right away, a good example of the desperation that sours this film: she's fired for the botfriend's stupidity.) No place to live, no money, yada yada, she's DESPERATE! Also desperate is the cold, unfeeling, Leona Helmsley-type mother of a 12-year-old boy: her nanny has quit just as Mom is leaving to visit the boy's maximally absent stepfather, who (of course) cares for/about the boy even less than mom does. Wouldn't you know it? Despite having no nanny, the young woman is hired bang-like-that. Turns out--guess what?--the kid is a child genius: mathematics, music (performing AND composing), chess, who knows what-all else. And with his huge allowance, which is the sole consideration he gets from his parents, he always get his own way. Example: mom insists he be driven to school, but he wants to walk, so he bribes the driver; also, bluffs his way out of the (despised) summer camp Mom has laid on by conning the head counselor. That sort of thing. He's a 12-year-old Ferris Bueller but even more repugnantly smug. Well, at first hapless nanny and the kid don't get along; she's shocked by his behavior. But then they begin to sort of get along. Then they buddy up. THEN--and NO ONE saw this coming--they form A BOND. And finally, what with his folks in China and no one else to say them nay, they proceed to (spoiler alter!) BREAK ALL THE RULES. Another Hollywood surprise-shocvk-stunner is that, it turns out, the kid ends up nannying HER. Adding insult to injury is the score, which is revoltingly clicheed, and may cause stomach upset. By the way: see those rave quotes from US Weekly and TV Guide? Now you know you can never trust them again.

Beautiful coming of age no matter what the age

[bflattrp · 5 March 2016]

I stumbled onto this movie in the middle of a sleepless morning. I think it was the music that hooked me into watching the whole thing, simple, haunting, as important as the visual but on it's own merits. Instead, as in some movies, where music is used to create emotions that may or not be available on the screen, this music stood on it's own and was more an equal part of the movie rather than an accompaniment. Never wrote a review before and really don't want to critique this little gem of a love story. What really got me, being a professional trumpet player, was the story of her cornet playing, especially her saying it was and Olds. Someone really did their homework on this as Olds has been out of business for quite a while now, and in their day made superior innovative brass instruments. And then the long distance duet at the end which is what we all play for the loves we have lost or who are absent.

Could have been much better

[Lucky-63 · 6/10 · 15 February 2016]

*Possible spoilers*

This movie has a lot going for it. Two decent actors in an unusual situation. What failed it is the writing.

A little explicit drama / tension from Eleanor's boyfriend was far from enough. A bunch of hackneyed characters (rich parents who are cynical and don't care, poor parents who are dispirited and don't care) contribute little beyond background. We didn't need them to realize that Eleanor and Reg are special people.

There can be humor on a Sunday or in the rain, but there was little in this tale ... which, in much more skilled hands had loads of possibility. All of New York for locations and we see a couple of parks? What they share in common isn't revealed until too late?

Too bad. Fine photography, nicely directed, but ... a whimper of a story apart from two lonely souls whose days together never light up more than the average day.

Couldve been 8-10 star movie..

[amufan · 6/10 · 2 September 2018]

First not sure why this movie is categorized as a musical...but that really is not the issue with movie, it is the lazy writing in the ending.

Spoiler: well not really as this movie followed a pretty predictable formula so the ending should come to now surprise, and maybe that is why the writers didn't bother getting creative. Reggie and the nanny, who was hired as a temp until a full time one could be found, establish a strong bond, they both had something missing in their lives and thus their bond took no time to seal, as in real life. However when it came to have the "big split" the writers didn't bother to come up with anything that remotely explains why the nanny, who has been working for 2 months now, doesnt hire on fulltime. in fact the one that replaces her looks younger and less experienced, so the sad ending did not exist, instead it left me thinking about how lazy writing once again cost a potential award winning movie.

Gentle, engrossing and poignant movie.

[CabbageCustard · 8/10 · 2 January 2020]

It's not often you can say that a movie is just plain lovely, but that is exactly what the cryptically named Like Sunday, Like Rain is. Just in case your wondering, the movie's title is taken from the haunting piece of music which plays in the background of so many scenes. I hesitate to admit that I don't really understand the significance of the title, but probably more cultured viewers than me will find it makes perfect sense.

The movie essentially tells the story of two hurt and lonely people from two different social backgrounds and, interestingly, ages. Reggie is just 13 although extremely precocious. He's also more than a little bit difficult and egocentric. Eleanor is, well I don't recall her age being mentioned, but she is definitely in her 20s. These two hurt, lonely people connect and we watch as they get to know each other and love grows between them. There is nothing sordid involved of course. This love is pure, wholesome and platonic and sneaks up on both parties and takes them unawares. We knew it would happen though. We watch as they open up to each other and some of the pain they both feel is revealed and made easier by their sharing. Nothing remarkable really happens. There are no car chases, bullets, melodramatics or noisy explosions. Nothing terrible happens to either character, yet this movie is thoroughly engrossing.

The only criticism I have of this movie (and it's not really a criticism, just a regret) was with the ending. I grew to care for these two characters. I wanted them to stay together, to continue supporting each other, to continue the healing. I didn't want anything bad to happen to them. The fact that they parted, in a deeply touching and poignant scene, was heart-breaking and also very hard to understand. There seemed no good reason why they had to part ways. Both would have benefited by their continued relationship, but I guess that wouldn't have made an as affecting ending.

I can't say that I had come across any of these actors before, other than Debra Messing, but they all handle their roles admirably, especially the two central actors. The backgrounds are wonderful and the soundtrack featuring the haunting, eponymous title track is exquisite (no hip-hop or grating rap music here. Hooray!)

I am happy to recommend this movie. I know it won't appeal to everyone's taste - in fact I can think of some people in my own family and social circle who would turn it off before it was halfway through. Discerning viewers will love this though and will be amply rewarded for viewing.

Slowly touching

[carolynflavia · 6/10 · 24 July 2018]

This movie is very slow, if you don't have any passion dont try to watch this movie. They have so many conflict, but not all of the confilct solved. The bonding between Eleanor and Reggie were so slow but at the end so good. My tears almost fall to saw that Reggie hurts of goodbye. After all, this is good but not must watch

moving

[sherlock-CC · 8/10 · 3 July 2020]

There are always some mysterious things about human beings that cannot be clarified. Some people get along for a lifetime but never know each other. Some people can penetrate each other in the moment of meeting. It's like the tearful line in the movie, "It's really hard to believe that I have only been with you for a few months, and it feels like I have known you all my life." Yes, this movie has a very strange, alternative, and even unclear emotional line setting. A wealthy little boy with an IQ and EQ that surpasses his age and a downcast nanny. When they get along for a few months, they have developed an unprecedented and thorough mutual understanding between them. It is a friendship that transcends age and exceeds friendship. Closeness, and something like extreme love that can never be defined as love. This film has brilliantly dismantled all the definitions of stubbornness, so that those well-defined secular concepts are completely invalid in front of these two people.

Inspiring and relatable

[lilacsky-07826 · 7/10 · 13 October 2022]

Sometimes we come across a movie that inspires and can translate our thoughts and feelings somehow as we are going through them now. I have been down lately and this movie just started to play after I watched some random movie and I am thankful I gave this a chance, it was the most uplifting story I have seen in a long long while. I like movies that bring you to a reality that you are can relate with. I thought this movie was beautiful in all ways of the letters itself that we read it to meaning. It saved me from my hopeless thoughts and feelings. It is free to watch, it is brilliant in its own right. :)

Boring

[ekammin-2 · 4/10 · 25 June 2018]

I did not like this movie. I found the kid obnoxious. He was just so perfect.

A nice story of friendship and love.

[zutterjp48 · 8/10 · 15 July 2020]

I enjoyed very much this story: the encounter of Eleanor and Reggie.Leanore needs a work and a place to stay, Reggie is a solitary music prodigy, who lives quite alone and he has had troubles with his former caretakers.Then appears Eleanor and little will grow a friendship: both are musicians and then a relationship with a lot of tenderness and affection. This film is also about self-improvement: Eleanor will discover again her pleasure to play music. The performances of Leighton Meester and Julian Shatkin are really very good.

I couldn't get into it

[kiwifreund · 5/10 · 2 October 2020]

I tried. There were elements of this movie that should have tugged on my heartstrings. But throughout I was reminded of "Uptown Girls," just with more cello and the guy from Green Day. And I'm a big art and movie nerd to the point where friends say, "Oh, that's HER type of movie where there's no ending and everyone is sad."

Extraordinary story of friendship, love and music

[astridcoene · 10/10 · 14 September 2015]

You know some movies just give you shivers, because they are amazing. Well, this movie is far more than amazing. It's extraordinary! It's unbelievable how music can charm you. After watching this movie I am just sitting there in my chair and thinking which movie can be better? Which movie can release your feelings more? Which movie is so beautiful that you can cry of happiness? After being fired and braking up with her boyfriend the 23 years old Eleanor has no idea what to do with her live. Until, she gets the chance to become a nanny for a rich family in the upper West side of New York. There she is supposed to take care of the genius twelve year old boy named Reggie. But quickly the roles switch. Reggie takes care of Eleanor and an unlikely friendship arises. Through the film you will directly be in sympathy with both Reggie and Eleanor. And at least you can enjoy the beautiful soundtrack produced by Ed Harcourt.