Thirteen Conversations About One Thing
Interlocking stories of ordinary New Yorkers turn accidents, betrayals, envy, and shaken faith into a quietly searching meditation on happiness.
Overview
A thought-provoking exploration of happiness and human connection unfolds through intertwined lives.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- contemplative
- melancholic
- intelligent
- thoughtful movie night
- quiet evening
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the intelligent, poignant intersecting-life structure, strong ensemble performances, and philosophical treatment of everyday experience, while some found its tone uneven and its ideas insufficiently deep.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The physics professor, prosecutor, insurance manager, betrayed wife, and cleaning woman occupy distinct but connected narrative strands.
Ordinary acts of distraction, infidelity, envy, and trauma become vehicles for asking how happiness is achieved.
Critics specifically noted Sprecher's finicky precision of framing and the quiet naturalism balancing the script's artifice.
Every principal character confronts a different disruption to their assumptions about contentment and meaning.
Films like Thirteen Conversations About One Thing, and why
Crash
intersecting lives, philosophical inquiry, and emotionally observant ensemble storytelling
Magnolia
interwoven urban narratives examining chance, guilt, and moral responsibility
The Ice Storm
introspective ensemble drama focused on ordinary lives and elusive happiness
Nine Lives
intelligent, understated drama about coincidence and ethical consequences
Movie Details
- Director
- Jill Sprecher
- Release Date
- 2001-09-02
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 6.2 / 10 (110)
Cast
- Matthew McConaughey
- John Turturro
- Clea DuVall
- Amy Irving
- Alan Arkin
- David Connolly
- Joseph Siravo
- A.D. Miles
- Sig Libowitz
- James Yaegashi
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Thirteen Conversations About One Thing about?
- Interlocking stories of ordinary New Yorkers turn accidents, betrayals, envy, and shaken faith into a quietly searching meditation on happiness.
- What is Thirteen Conversations About One Thing like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Thirteen Conversations About One Thing as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Thirteen Conversations About One Thing violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Thirteen Conversations About One Thing as mild.
- What did critics think of Thirteen Conversations About One Thing?
- Critics broadly praised the intelligent, poignant intersecting-life structure, strong ensemble performances, and philosophical treatment of everyday experience, while some found its tone uneven and its ideas insufficiently deep.
- Which films are like Thirteen Conversations About One Thing?
- Films with a similar feel include Crash, Magnolia, The Ice Storm, and Nine Lives.
- How long is Thirteen Conversations About One Thing?
- Thirteen Conversations About One Thing runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch Thirteen Conversations About One Thing?
- In United States, Thirteen Conversations About One Thing is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
