‘She Came to Me’ Review: Not Even Anne Hathaway Can Liven This Dull Romantic Drama
Given that the title card of She Came to Me is drenched in bubbling red liquid, one might think that the latest film from writer-director Rebecca Miller (in theaters Oct. 6) would be a merlot-soaked romantic dramedy. It turns out that the film is more red herring than red wine, using its cast of beloved, seasoned actors as little more than pawns to attract an audience to a movie wholly undeserving of their charm and talents. Even the great Anne Hathaway, no stranger to being the best part of a terrible movie, is incapable of saving this dreck from itself, standing idly by as the film spins hopelessly in circles. The result is one of the year’s biggest letdowns thus far.
She Came to Me holds great promise in its blissfully strange plot: An opera composer’s (Peter Dinklage) therapist-turned-wife (Hathaway) encourages him to explore the city, only to find inspiration in the arms of a dingy tugboat operator (Marisa Tomei). But it quickly becomes clear that Miller isn’t quite sure what to do with her own intriguing idea. Characters and plotlines apathetically intersect, and their interactions’ varying consequences make the film feel tonally erratic throughout its runtime. Though Hathaway manages to microdose charisma to become the film’s sole compelling performance, even she is undercut at every turn by the bland screenplay.
When we first meet Dinklage’s Steven Lauddem, he’s hiding from his colleagues, trying to avoid being asked any questions at an industry event. That’s not completely surprising, given that his last opera triggered a breakdown so severe that he entered a deep depression. Now, he can’t seem to find any motivation to finish the score for his next show, which is due in just two weeks. His doting wife, Patricia, is doing her best to help him along, despite being preoccupied with her own private therapy practice and college-aged son from her first marriage, Julian (Evan Ellison). The best she can do is urge Steven to get outside and walk around to see what ideas the city streets might generate.