Love Is Strange review: Alfred Molina stars in an understated gem

Director: Ira Sachs; Screenwriters: Ira Sachs, Mauricio Zacharias; Starring: John Lithgow, Alfred Molina, Marisa Tomei; Running time: 94 mins; Certificate: 15

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"When a piece is that romantic, there's no need to embellish," remarks Alfred Molina's music teacher George after witnessing an orchestral performance. It's a piece of advice heeded by writer-director Ira Sachs for his touching Love Is Strange, a film laden with dignity and restraint that never needs to resort to melodrama or contrivance.

The story kicks off with the wedding of George and artist Ben (John Lithgow), a long-term gay couple whose tenderness, sincerity and emotional intimacy is wonderfully captured by Sachs's lens. They're soon forced to live apart for financial reasons after George is abhorrently sacked from his teaching post once the news of his same-sex marriage spreads. Life apart poses its own problems, especially once Ben's health begins to deteriorate.

Sexuality shouldn't be in an issue for contemporary cinema, but the representation of ageing same-sex couples clearly isn't high on the box-ticking checklist of the marketing men who finance movies.

Consequently, it's such a breath of fresh air to witness the non-sensationalised depiction of George and Ben by Molina and Lithgow, who make you believe the couple have been together for decades. Their portrayals are effortlessly endearing, generating an immediate emotional investment from the viewer that soon turns to heartache once the duo are forced to separate.

Some may feel that Love Is Strange's lack of dramatic incident is an insurmountable problem. After all, there are no screaming showdowns, no moments of passionate kissing in the rain and no emphatic soundtrack to amplify the tears or smiles.

But the manner in which the tale gently unfolds deserves to be appreciated as a huge strength. With Molina and Lithgow delivering such compelling turns and Sachs's understated direction bringing us close to these men's hearts, there is absolutely no need for embellishment.