I haven’t a clue whether or not Joaquin Phoenix is actually pursuing a career as a rapper and has quit the film industry completely. If this is his current life path, it’s a huge mistake — especially judging from his impromptu attempt during his “last” film, “Two Lovers.” Phoenix is immensely talented and it’s reflected in his two Oscar nominations for “Gladiator” and “Walk the Line.” (I’m not taking into account the disastrous “The Village.”) In “Two Lovers,” he gives another complex, intriguing and excellent performance that will make most viewers wonder if this whole rapper thing is a complete hoax.

Audiences may have taken Phoenix’s work for granted with his rich performances. I have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of him, even if it is on David Letterman with a scraggly beard and mumbled dictation. At least this so-called final film is a good one with complicated characters and plot.

This is the third film in which Phoenix has teamed up with director James Gray — “The Yards” from 2000, and “We Own the Night” from 2007, were the others. Unlike Gray’s previous directing ventures of crime and violence, “Two Lovers” is more sensitive and free-flowing, allowing the actors to tell the story instead of the action. It’s a nice change of pace to see Gray, who also co-wrote the original screenplay with Ric Menello, change things up.

“Two Lovers” is classified in the romantic drama genre and in no way does that mean this movie is a chick flick. This is a sincere look at how a man can be torn between the woman his parents want him to marry and an elusively beautiful new neighbor. There isn’t the wishy-washy, lovey-dovey plot that you would find in many romantic dramas, or comedies. Instead, it’s a performance-driven look at the love a man can have for two women at once.

“Two Lovers” begins with Leonard Kraditor (Phoenix) jumping from a bridge, attempting to commit suicide. Unsuccessful in his attempt, he returns to his parents’ (Moni Moshonov and Isabella Rossellini) Brooklyn apartment in time to meet Sandra Cohen (Vinessa Shaw), the daughter of his parents’ friends. The parents wanted them to meet — and hopefully become a couple. That’s before Leonard meets Michelle Rausch (Gwyneth Paltrow) in the hallway of the apartment building who’d only been living there a week.

While Leonard likes Sandra and enjoys her company, Michelle is mysterious and beautiful. However, she also has a lot of baggage. She lives with her boyfriend Ronald (Elias Koteas), who happens to be married and has a son. This poses many problems as Michelle wants him to leave his wife so they can be together. Leonard learns all of this after following her on the train to the city.

Leonard isn’t necessarily hiding his women from each other, but he also doesn’t want to get caught. After going to a club and then to dinner with Michelle and Ronald — to see how he acted toward her — Leonard decides Michelle is too complicated, even for him. His relationship with Sandra is rather healthy and he’s happy, that is until Michelle calls him because she’s miscarried and didn’t know she was pregnant. The feelings Leonard had for Michelle come rushing out as he believes they are perfect for each other because they’re both screwed up. No matter how perfect Leonard thought the situation might turn out, he had to have known that her messy relationship would come back into the picture.

Phoenix isn’t the only one to give a heart-felt, sincere and complicated performance. Paltrow, Shaw and Rossellini, in particular, are excellent as the women in Leonard’s life. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this film. I’d like to see similar performances from Phoenix, and hopefully, that will be the case, but I’m not holding my breath. In any event, “Two Lovers” is an excellent film that showcases Phoenix’s raw, natural talent and doesn’t fall into the trap of other romantic dramas.

Missy Thompson: missy@tooeletranscript.com