Thirteen Conversations About One Thing (2001)

Thirteen Conversations About One Thing (2001)

A smart and poetic film about the invisible strings that tie us to each other

7.9

Movie

United States of America
English
Drama
2001
FEMALE DIRECTOR, JILL SPRECHER
A.D. Miles, Alan Arkin, Alex Burns
104 min

What it's about

The lives of a lawyer, an actuary, a housecleaner, a professor, and the people around them intersect as they ponder order and happiness in the face of life's cold unpredictability.

The take

“What is happiness?” is one of those philosophical questions that seem destined to go unanswered, one that, when asked, starts a debate that splinters into smaller debates, all of which lead to nowhere. This film is sort of an embodiment of that question, but instead of being vague and pointless, it revels in mystery and multitudes. What is happiness? We follow five different people who attempt to answer that in their own ways. 

It might seem gimmicky to try to link strangers’ lives with the concept of happiness,  but in the hands of a brilliant director and ensemble, it becomes a treat. With its deeply human characters, smartly structured plot, and eloquent dialogue, Thirteen Conversations About One Thing is a rare gem of a film, as perceptive as it is poignant. 

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