‘The Thing Called Love’
River Phoenix would have turned 48 years old this week, so it’s fitting to look back on the last film he completed before his death at 23, The Thing Called Love. The movie follows Miranda Priestly (Samantha Mathis), a beguiling newcomer on the Nashville scene, who longs to get her big break as a songwriter. During a fateful audition at the iconic Bluebird Café, Miranda meets James Wright (a charming River Phoenix), a hot-blooded and aloof country singer/songwriter, and is instantly smitten. Can their tumultuous and fragile marriage survive the ups and downs of their separate careers? Stream it and see. Featuring strong supporting turns from Dermot Mulroney and Sandra Bullock, this appealing country western fable will have you humming along and tapping your feet to big hits like “Blame It on Your Heart” and “Until Now,” both performed by Phoenix himself.