Two of Us
Since many movie depictions of famous figures are cringe-worthy, it is pleasant to report thatTwo of Uscreates a smart, informed, and intimate portrait of two music gods. This made-for-TV feature is a fictional speculation about a day in 1976 when Paul McCartney popped into John Lennon's New York apartment by surprise. With Yoko away on business, it's just the two giants spending a day together--bickering, goofing, toking, and eventually coming to a bittersweet reconciliation. There are awkward TV-movie moments, and some psychobabble, but the film respects its characters too much to round them off into simpletons. Director Michael Lindsay-Hogg madeLet It Be, so he could draw on first-hand experience, and Jared Harris and Aidan Quinn are totally committed to their roles. For an even better speculative Beatles film, check outThe Hours and Times, a superb study of Lennon and Beatles manager Brian Epstein.--Robert Horton