More than meets the eye

'Please Give' wraps complex characters in a deceptively simple story

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For Kate (Catherine Keener), charity does not begin at homebut guilt begins in the workplace. She and her husband, Alex (Oliver Platt),own an upscale used-furniture store in Manhattan, one of those shops that willsell you a couch just like Grandma used to have for a mere $5,000 or so. Tomaintain their inventory of retro-chic furnishings, Kate and Alex travel aroundthe city, cutting deals with the relatives of the recently deceased; these kidsor grandkids are often eager to dispose of the belongings, and Kate and Alexare more than happy to write them a check.

The lucrative operation is running into trouble, however, aswriter-director Nicole Holofcener’s “Please Give” begins. Kate is starting tofeel pangs of remorse that she and Alex make enormous profits from resellingsomeone else’s possessions: They’ve banked enough to buy the apartment nextdoor and, somewhat ghoulishly, they are waiting for the 91-year-old currenttenant to expire.

Still, Kate is anything but cold-hearted. She insists onhanding out money to street people and looks for opportunities to do volunteerwork. Her 15-year-old daughter, Abby (Sarah Steele), craves designer fashions,but Kate isn’t buying. “I’m not spending $200 on jeans for my teenage daughterwhen there are 45 homeless people living on our street,” she declares.

In a collection of generally brief, low-key scenes, “Give”investigates why certain people can be generous toward strangers and downrightstingy when it comes to helping out those closest to them, even themselves.Radiologist Rebecca (Rebecca Hall) expresses kind concern for the women whocome to her for mammograms — the movie’s opening credits feature dozens ofbreasts being prepared for examination — yet she has little tolerance for hersharp-tongued sister, Mary (Amanda Peet), who tries to hide her insecuritiesabout losing her looks by insulting and belittling everyone and everythingaround her.

Mary particularly detests her grandmother, Andra (Ann MorganGuilbert), failing to see they’re actually two of a kind: the gratingglamorpuss and the senior-citizen sourpuss. Holofcener cleverly points out thatthe people who often have the toughest time getting along are the ones who havethe most in common.

“Give” continues several of the themes that markedHolofcener’s earlier films, such as “Lovely and Amazing” and “Friends WithMoney.” Abby and Mary struggle with body issues: Mary is addicted to tanningsalons, while Abby is vexed by acne; Rebecca tries to win over Andra withpricey presents and constant attention, only to face the same old scowls andcurt comments.

Another carry-over is Keener, an actress supremelywell-suited to Holofcener’s style of writing. Fussiness and mannerisms have noplace in Keener’s acting: Time and again, she drills directly into the heart ofa scene, conveying the necessary information without adding on self-indulgentfrills or unnecessary commentary. While Kate may seem like a stereotypical EastCoast liberal, Keener works a few offbeat colors into Kate’s personality,including a dash of macabre humor and some beguiling cluelessness thatundercuts her “give ’til it hurts” attitude.

Platt is a perfect partner for Keener, expressing Alex’sneediness and insecurities quietly and delicately. Kate doesn’t see the signs,but Mary does, perhaps because she’s wrestling with the same misgivings aboutherself. Peet is fierce and sometimes laceratingly funny as she demonstrateshow an unhappy psyche can hide behind a pretty face. Morgan Guilbert is alsooutstanding as the permanently perturbed Andra, who refuses to accept that herarthritis will never go away, her sore feet will never really heal and herfailing eyesight will not be coming back.

Hall effectively spells out Rebecca’s guarded personality ina sort of easy-to-read shorthand: downcast eyes, awkward smiles, closed-offbody language, a speaking voice that always seems to be a couple of notcheslower than everyone else’s. She’s the complete opposite of the outspoken,ear-bruising Mary, and Hall and Peet generate some genuine familial friction intheir conversations.

“Give” has no startling twists or earth-shaking emotionaleruptions. Its subtle, understated approach and lack of tension may fool youinto thinking very little is going on. But Holofcener is definitely taking uson a journey that will lead Kate and Rebecca (and perhaps Mary, Abby and Alex) to see themselves and the world around them in a new way. Although the actionunfolds over a relatively short span of time — not more than a couple of weeks — thesedays turn out to be times of transition for each of the characters. ThatHolofcener is able to convey all of this without resorting to typhoons of tearsor outbursts of anger is quite an impressive feat.

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