Tully (2000)

Despite a plot more hackneyed than a young-adult novella, writer/director Hilary Birmingham's feature debut succeeds, largely on the chemistry of its two promising, twenty-something leads. When The Truth About Tully focuses on its major themes of father-son relationships and fraternal responsibility, the film feels forced. But when the emphasis shifts to the title character's relationships with women -- in particular, his burgeoning romance with the level-headed Ella (Julianne Nicholson) -- Tully comes alive. Nicholson and Anson Mount lend the film a lazy, curious sensuality, and Birmingham gives them the space needed to explore such heady issues as intimacy, sex, and commitment. In a vein similar to Sofia Coppola's The Virgin Suicides, Tully offers a uniquely female perspective on a post-adolescent lothario: never once does Birmingham condescend to her character, nor does she try to simplify the nature of attraction. Although it garnered a warm reception at festivals in Canada and the U.S., Tully would remain in limbo for months before finding an outlet for release. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide