He may have played a wealthy businessman with a hankering for escorts in the famed Pretty Woman, but Richard Gere has come a long way since then.

His latest role, playing a vagabond in Time Out Of Mind, has seen much praise come his way and the New York Times is definitely on board. Here’s an excerpt from their glowing review of the movie and director Oren Moverman:

“Time Out of Mind” isn’t a study of social injustice or individual pathology; it’s neither an exploration of the problem of homelessness nor a cautionary tale about the dangers of heavy drinking. Mr. Moverman’s previous efforts as a director…were intense, interesting and overburdened with plot. Some of his screenwriting projects — notably his scripts for Todd Haynes’s “I’m Not There” and Bill Pohlad’s “Love and Mercy” — have felt freer and looser, willing to chase threads of reality even at the expense of structure. This movie’s best and truest quality may be its wandering, episodic rhythm, which is intriguing in its own right and reflects the experience of the main character.

Gere also gets a personal shout out for his acting chops:

Mr. Gere is fascinating to observe in this role, partly because he refuses to solicit sympathy, or even attention. “Time Out of Mind” is an intimate portrait of a man caught between the desire to be left alone and a need for human connection. George retreats from people. It can seem as if he’s trying to escape from the movie itself, and that Mr. Moverman’s camera is tracking him from a careful, tactful distance, unwilling to let him disappear entirely even if that may be what he wants most. The meaning of George’s existence escapes him, and us, too. But the fact of it is undeniable and indelible.

It doesn’t exactly look like a ‘date night’ movie but may well be worth a watch.

[source:nytimes]