Deb Dorfman (Sara Rue) is a 27-year-old single woman who is stuck in a caretaking role with her cantankerous father Burt (Elliott Gould). She has an unexpressed infatuation with her friend Jay (Johann Urb), a journalist who views her as nothing more than someone who is always there to build him up when he needs it. Yet another dysfunctional relationship is her accounting job with her brother Daniel (Jonathan Chase), who doesn't appreciate her; he's also scared by his wife's push to have a baby and is looking for sex elsewhere.
When Jay heads off for an overseas assignment, Deb agrees to cat sit for him in his new luxurious loft. It's a complete mess of unpacked boxes and new furniture. Deb meets one of the neighbors, Cookie (Haaz Sleiman), a handsome artist who takes a fancy to her kindness and enthusiasm. But he is bothered by her lack of self-esteem. For example, she's always saying "I'm sorry." Even with Cookie's encouragement, Deb feels conflicted about her dad who sits around his apartment, ungrateful for the love and attention she gives him.
Hoping to surprise Jay and win his heart, she decides to finish his unpacking, arrange his furniture, and decorate his apartment as a surprise for his homecoming. She also gets a makeover by some sexy models who live in the building. After Cookie helps her fix up the loft and shows her around the neighborhood and then even finds a way to cheer up her father, she finds herself quite conflicted about her feelings. When Jay comes home, she sees him with different eyes.
Dorfman in Love is a funny comedy about the changes that can sweep into our lives and set us on a new course. Director Brad Leong draws out nicely modulated performances from Sara Rue and Haaz Sleiman as two singletons surprised by love. Veteran Elliott Gould proves that he's grown into a scene-stealing elder.
Special features on the DVD include closed-caption.
