In that 1995 drama, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy are strangers who meet on a train in Europe and spend an evening together.swaps out Venice for chilly Toronto, and gives us Quebec actor Joe Scarpellino and Andrea Bang in the lead roles.Sign up to receive the daily top stories from the National Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.
They bump into each other at a bar, where he’s gone to drown his sorrows, and she’s just been abandoned by her roommate in favour of a hookup. After a few awkward exchanges and a shared cab, they start to warm to each other. Carter doesn’t immediately cop to being an athlete. And Grace doesn’t mention that she’s a 27-year-old virgin, though to be fair that’s not the best conversation starter.
What follows is a simple, sweet story about two people who may be falling in love with each other over the course of a long evening. Secrets are shared. Misunderstandings happen. And in what has to be a first in movie dialogue, Grace tells her new friend: “I’m an HR advisor. I can help you.” There are a few moments that will strain viewers’ credibility, but since when was the romance genre known for its believable plot twists? And sure, it’s not the equal of Linklater’s movie, nor does it cry out for a sequel as his did. But sometimes even second best is more than enough.