Sammy and Terry lost their parents in a car accident when they were young and have since shared an emotional bond although their lives have taken divergent paths. Sammy is a single mother raising a young boy, but she has a stable job at a local bank in their small upstate New York town. Terry has drifted since he left, occasionally returning for money, and he has recently reentered Sammy's life to obtain money for his pregnant girlfriend. As Terry's arrival, along with relationship problems with her on again off again boyfriend and a new perfectionist boss have thrown Sammy's life into upheaval. Now she must weigh her relationship with her brother, and decide whether he is a healthy influence on her son. You Can Count on Me is the directorial debut from screenwriter Kenneth Lonergan and it is a well observed family drama that effectively blends comedy and drama. Laura Linney, in an Oscar nominated performance, shows what a gifted and underappreciated actress she is as she wonderfully portrays a reliable woman who somehow can't avoid destructive relationships. Mark Ruffalo is fine as well as Terry, a good guy at heart who always seems to shirk responsibilities and can't seem to stay out of trouble. I also really liked Matthew Broderick's character as Linney's boss, who is rigid and unbending on every issue at the office and develops an unexpected relationship with Linney, who at first seems to not be able to stand in. You Can Count on Me is a nicely realized family drama that feels authentic as we think we are witnessing a true to life dysfunctional family on the screen.
