When it comes to romance films, Hollywood casts young women with older men so often that this age gap is rarely questioned, even when the characters are supposed to be around the same age range. Murphy’s Romance does have an age gap, but it’s one of the few romances that actually cares to examine the age difference, having the age dynamic in canon and with casting intentionally reflecting it. It’s also one of the few that justifies it with the folksy, old-fashioned charm exuded by James Garner, the stability, wisdom, and kindness Emma isn’t used to, and good ol’ chemistry between two leads that’s more ordinary than heartracing. Murphy’s Romance won’t be the feet-sweeping romance that Hollywood placed on the pedestal, but it’s just the right two people finding each other at the right time, albeit interstitched with randomly added saxophone and a lot of barn-fixing scenes.

James Garner. He probably deserved more acclaim for his other roles, but getting a nomination for this one isn’t so bad.