‘Please Give’ time to this small indie

“Please Give” has moments of incredibly dark comedy, but also moments of heart-wrenching sadness (never exploitative). This contrast between dark and light is what makes “Please Give” so successful.

The film focuses on two families. In one, Catherine Keener and Oliver Platt run a furniture store stocked with the mid-century leftovers of people’s recently deceased parents. They also have a teenage daughter who wishes for nothing more than to fit into a nice pair of jeans.

The other family is composed of an evil old lady and her two granddaughters, played by Rebecca Hall and Amanda Peet. Keener’s family owns the old lady’s apartment, so the plan is to tear down the apartment’s walls and make a master bedroom after she dies.

The real standout of the film is Hall, whose face conveys such beautiful and subtle emotions. It’s impossible not to feel sad when her mouth turns down.

There are few laugh-out-loud moments in “Please Give” but plenty of moments that capture something real and fleeting. And that is truly beautiful.