LONESOME JIM — ** 1/2 — Casey Affleck, Liv Tyler, Mary Kay Place; R (profanity, vulgarity, drugs, brief sex, brief partial nudity).
"Lonesome Jim" seems to go out of its way to be quirky and unpredictable, which is why it's so disappointing to see the movie end on a cliched, predictable note.
Still, even that clunky ending is not enough to sink this low-key, deadpan comedy, which is heavy on eccentricity. And probably not for all tastes.
The title character is Jim Roush (Casey Affleck), a twentysomething slacker who's come back home to tiny Cromwell, Ind., after running out of money and getting fed up with a series of go-nowhere jobs in New York City. He's returned to the safety of his kind-hearted mother, Sally (Mary Kay Place), who is all too eager to coddle him.
Unfortunately, he's got competition for her affections — his spectacularly unsuccessful older brother, Tim (Kevin Corrigan), who has just attempted suicide. But Jim finds someone who may be able to help, Anika (Liv Tyler), a nurse with a young son (Jack Rovello). But she's not sure if man-child Jim wants a girlfriend or a substitute mother.
It does seem a little unbelievable that a character as sweet and caring as Tyler's would be drawn to the petulant, often-aloof Jim. But Ben Affleck's little brother does have a likable quality, and his character eventually warms up.
Actor-turned-filmmaker Steve Buscemi gets sterling performances from his supporting cast. Youngster Rovello ("The Hours") is pretty amusing, as is Corrigan.
But it's the veterans who really impress. Both Place and Seymour Cassel are wonderful as Jim's parents, and character actor Mark Boone Jr. gets some of the bigger laughs as Jim's none-too-bright, drug-dealer uncle.
"Lonesome Jim" is rated R for occasional use of strong sexual profanity, crude sexual humor and references, some strong drug content (including marijuana use), a brief sex scene and some other sexual contact, and brief partial male nudity. Running time: 91 minutes.
E-mail: jeff@desnews.com