I haven’t actually watched every minute of “Hope Springs”, the movie with Tommy Lee Jones and Meryl Streep as the couple, Kay and Arnold, who have celebrated their 31st anniversary with different views of where they are in their marriage. Steve Carell plays an interesting, slightly out-of-character role as the reknowned couples’ counselor in Maine where much of the movie takes place.

While there are more silly sex jokes than I care for, it is a well-crafted movie and the unexpected curve (I won’t call it a twist) in the last twenty minutes makes that okay, and you absolutely have to watch the scene enbedded in the credits. It is a story that can be all too familiar for couples who have perhaps gotten a bit too caught up in life, in routine, who have forgotten that communication does still matter, even if as Arnold asks in exasperation, “We’ve been married for 31 years. What is it that you think I don’t know about you?” (I may have garbled that a bit, but that was the essence.) And in turn, when Kay expresses dismay with an event that had occurred, the Doctor played by Steve Carell gently leads her to see that perhaps she didn’t handle the situation as well as she thought.

This is another of those quiet movies that makes for a pleasant evening and yes, guys, it might open the door to one of “those talks” or at least a brief chat. Have a cold beer, glass of whiskey, wine, cup of hot coffee, or whatever and just go with it.