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You Can Count on Me

Play trailer Poster for You Can Count on Me R 2000 1h 49m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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95% Tomatometer 106 Reviews 88% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Sammy is a single mother who is extremely protective of her 8-year-old son. She is satisfied with living in the small town she grew up in and working in a local bank. When her brother Terry visits he fits the void in the life of both her and her son. Temporarily free of the constraints of single motherhood she begins to break free of her normal routine. In a string of traumatic events Sammy is torn between helping her brother and her maternal instinct to protect her son from getting hurt.
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You Can Count on Me

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Critics Consensus

You Can Count On Me may look like it belongs on the small screen, but the movie surprises with its simple yet affecting story. Beautifully acted and crafted, the movie will simply draw you in.

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Critics Reviews

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Derek Smith Slant Magazine 07/19/2025
Age hasn’t dulled the heartache of Kenneth Lonergan’s finely tuned portrayal of grief. Go to Full Review Gavin Smith Film Comment Magazine 04/10/2018
Unusually sharp editing is the first hint that in fact it's a superior, acutely observed comedy-drama about family ties and the struggle to find a sense of purpose, even managing to work in some genuinely metaphysical intimations. Go to Full Review Lisa Schwarzbaum Entertainment Weekly 09/07/2011
A
Beautiful, compassionate, articulate. Go to Full Review Rudie Obias Battleship Pretension 07/22/2025
You Can Count on Me is great and one of the most important movies in American independent cinema of the last 25 years. Go to Full Review Joshua Ryan FandomWire 07/15/2025
9/10
Lonergan showcases a knack for exploring family dynamics with intricate detail, bringing complex emotions to the surface in a way that maintains effortless entertainment. Go to Full Review Eve Tushnet Patheos 10/23/2020
...what I especially loved was that this film lets its two main characters do genuinely awful, hurtful things, which don't even disrupt the siblings' mirrored self-righteousness... Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jim H @RT04229066 Mar 25 Aside from Laura Linney's strikingly solid performance...this film's characters say exactly what they're feeling, very much on the nose. The movie tries to tell you how to feel instead of showing it. Some people resonate with that. I found it hollow. See more Tyler P. @TylerPhoenixMD Jan 28 Perfect small screen movie night movie. Great story, the acting is on point. Id say it’s a comedy and a drama, there’s a lot of humor to be found in this story of grief. See more darren m @DarrenM Jan 27 Just terrific. And I'm hard to please. Watch it alone somewhere quiet and cozy. The direction is wonderful. The screenplay is funny, yet dramatic and realistic. The film's many awards and nominations are deserved. While there are a couple of slightly unrealistic situations, the acting and dialogue never falter. This is the far superior little brother to Manchester By the Sea. Kinda a must see, if you ask me. See more D E @warroad Jan 5 Not too good. Too many annoying characters to list................ See more Mason M @RT73597940 Nov 9 I've seen plenty of these kinds of depictions of rural small town America, and this is easily one of the best of those. You Can Count on Me was gorgeous, incredibly entertaining, hilarious, emotional, riveting, and just incredible. This was my first rodeo with Kenneth Lonergan, and I really loved what I saw. His writing was really great in his characters and his beautifully real yet entertaining dialogue (and he does a wonderful job in his cameo). The three lead performances were also all just incredible. Laura Linney always does great in everything she's in. And Matthew Brodrick was absolutely hysterical in this film, his characters was perfect for his personality and mannerisms. And the story was a really enjoyable watch. It's a beautiful exploration of relationships and general American boredom, pulled off in a story that always kept me encapsulated following characters Lonergan really gets me to care about. I have nothing but praise for You Can Count on Me, it's just a gorgeous film. See more Sergio A @Sergio83 02/06/2025 You might think the film is simple, but that’s precisely where its beauty lies. See more Read all reviews
You Can Count on Me

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Kenneth Lonergan

Director

Laura Linney

Sammy Prescott

Mark Ruffalo

Terry Prescott

Rory Culkin

Rudy

Matthew Broderick

Brian

Jon Tenney

Bob

Movie Clips

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You Can Count on Me

You Can Count on Me: Official Clip - Your Future at the Bank You Can Count on Me: Official Clip - Your Future at the Bank 1:33 You Can Count on Me: Official Clip - Goodbye, Uncle Terry You Can Count on Me: Official Clip - Goodbye, Uncle Terry 1:12 You Can Count on Me: Official Clip - Rudy Meets His Father You Can Count on Me: Official Clip - Rudy Meets His Father 1:56 You Can Count on Me: Official Clip - I F***ed My Boss You Can Count on Me: Official Clip - I F***ed My Boss 2:09 You Can Count on Me: Official Clip - I Think You Should Leave You Can Count on Me: Official Clip - I Think You Should Leave 1:49 You Can Count on Me: Official Clip - Can I Ask You A Personal Question? You Can Count on Me: Official Clip - Can I Ask You A Personal Question? 2:06 You Can Count on Me: Official Clip - Meeting Uncle Terry You Can Count on Me: Official Clip - Meeting Uncle Terry 2:12 You Can Count on Me: Official Clip - Serving Some Time You Can Count on Me: Official Clip - Serving Some Time 2:04 View more videos

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You Can Count on Me

You Can Count on Me (2000) You Can Count on Me (2000) Matthew Broderick as Brian and Laura Linney as Sammy. Laura Linney as Sammy and Mark Ruffalo as Terry. Mark Ruffalo as Terry and Rory Culkin as Rudy. Laura Linney as Sammy and Jon Tenney as Bob. Laura Linney as Sammy. You Can Count on Me (2000) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Sammy is a single mother who is extremely protective of her 8-year-old son. She is satisfied with living in the small town she grew up in and working in a local bank. When her brother Terry visits he fits the void in the life of both her and her son. Temporarily free of the constraints of single motherhood she begins to break free of her normal routine. In a string of traumatic events Sammy is torn between helping her brother and her maternal instinct to protect her son from getting hurt.
Director
Kenneth Lonergan
Producer
Barbara De Fina, John Hart, Larry Meistrich, Jeff Sharp
Screenwriter
Kenneth Lonergan
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Production Co
Hart Sharp Productions, Shooting Gallery, Crush Entertainment, Cappa Productions
Rating
R (Scene of Sexuality|Language|Some Drug Use)
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 10, 2000, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 15, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA)
$9.2M
Runtime
1h 49m
Sound Mix
Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Dolby EX
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)