Product Description

JOHN LENNON AND PAUL MCCARTNEY HAVE A CHAT ABOUT THEIR LIVES, AND IF "THE BEATLES" WILL EVER REUNITE. THE MOVIE TAKES PLACE IN 1976.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21075 in DVD
• Brand: PARAMOUNT HOME VIDEO
• Released on: 2003-01-21
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .25 pounds
• Running time: 89 minutes

Amazon.com
Since many movie depictions of famous figures are cringe-worthy, it is pleasant to report that Two of Us creates 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 made Let 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 out The Hours and Times, a superb study of Lennon and Beatles manager Brian Epstein. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews

Inspired movie making
Michael Linsey-Hogg, the director of Let It Be, weaves fact and fiction into a compelling movie about two of the greatest personalities of our generation.

McCartney comes off a bit too warm in this but its hard to see that as a flaw. Reputed to be a 'cool' person at the best of times perhaps we see through to the real Paul. Lennon on the other hand is accurately portrayed from the clowning to the acid wit he was so well known for.

While the actors don't physically resemble John and Paul that well they certainly come across as them if you just squint your eyes and pretend a little.

Best moments in the movie:

McCartney in a heartfelt moment telling John how during the break up of the Beatles he felt as though he was losing his best friend. Lennons acid response. "We were never that close mate".

A scene in Central Park with the two of them in disguise. Reminiscent of A Hard Days Night is the exchange between them and two mounted police. We laughed out loud at this one and the scene just felt right.

A scene in a restaurant when an elderly couple finally get there nerve up to approach John. They make the gaffe of requesting that he sing a few bars of Yesterday (Pauls song). Lennons response again had us laughing out loud and again it felt as though it really was John saying it.

The best moment of all is one with John and Paul on the roof of the Dakota. I won't attempt to describe this one but it brought tears to my eyes and confirmed to me that the chemistry between John and Paul was truly magic.

This movie brings back a little of the joy the Beatles brought to the world way back when. A celebration of John and Paul and the real world magic of Beatle music.

Fooled me!
When I first heard about this film, I thought, "Harris and Quinn?" How will they pull it off? For one thing, there was the item of physical non-resemblance. But with the addition of a little nose putty, I was suprised to be able to see Lennon quite easily in Harris. Quinn's physical resemblance to McCartney is even more remote (you can add putty to a nose but you can't perform rhinoplastic reduction with makeup!), but factor in the clothes and hair and he comes closer. But it's the body language and speech which make him convincing. I didn't notice in the credits if there was a vocal coach, but if there was, he/she knows his/her stuff. If the actors developed their own accents and cadences, that's even more to their credit. They obviously studied these men assiduously. In some scenes I found myself feeling horribly sentimental, being of a "certain age." The picture is nicely staged, paced, and photographed. Entertaining start to finish.

It's All In The Imagination, Luv!
I'm not a fan of biopics, particularly when most of the dialogue comes straight from the head of the script writer. In point of fact, this and other "you are there" movies require a suspension of disbelief in order to give the events a degree of plausibility. Although it was difficult for me to shake the notion that this movie was a complete and utter fantasy, I decided to enjoy it at face value. In reality, John and Paul did get together in April, 1976, during the "Wings Over America" tour. In the real life get-together, both Yoko and Linda were at the Dakota, and all four of them watched the Saturday Night Live "reunion offer" episode. John and Paul briefly toyed with the idea of going down to the studio as a lark, but all four decided it was too late at night, and the idea was quickly dismissed. After Paul and Linda left the Dakota (on a high note, pun intended!), Paul decided to return the next day by himself. It was on that return that John refused to let Paul in, stating that he had to take care of Sean, and that it wasn't like the old days, when as teenagers they would just show up at each others' homes. Paul left the Dakota, never to return.
Okay.... so back to the movie. If you're into "what ifs?", and you want a fairly realistic version of what might have happened had they met (based on their personalities and prior interactions), this is the movie for you. The John of this movie is the sterotype we have grown to know and love.....pissed off the whole movie. Paul is in his sweet, "we can work it out" mode, as would be expected of him. These fallbacks to stereotype tend to bring a one-dimensional bent to both of their characters, but the movie is well-written, and the dialogue and interaction are strangely compelling. I don't know if this "what if" scenario is as mind-boggling as say, "what if Hitler had won the war", or "what if Oswald had lived", but for Beatles afficianados such as myself, to see John and Paul interacting anytime after the breakup of the Beatles is worth the investment in time and money, and certainly worth suspending one's disbelief for 90 minutes. For further clarification and insight into the complexities of both the personal and the working relationships of John and Paul , please refer to the research of Dr. David M. Kopp, PhD. Dr. Kopp offers a perspective of the inter-relationship between the two Beatles that has rarely been touched upon in other scholarly works.