Some directors need a couple of films to develop their style. Then there are those who emerge fully formed. In James Gray's case, he broke onto the scene with thematic concepts firmly in place, an almost innate approach to traditional craft and the ability to tell stories that unfurl not with manufactured jolts but with a patience that hits the grace notes.

With a loose trilogy behind him (1994's Little Odessa, 2000's The Yards, and 2007's We Own the Night), Gray tackles Two Lovers, his third film with actor Joaquin Phoenix. It's ostensibly about love and obsession, but that's like saying The Godfather is about family and the mafia. Scratch the surface and they bleed out with much more substance.

Before the events of Two Lovers begin, Leonard (Phoenix) has been ditched by his fiancée after a genetics counsellor has confirmed that they're a mismatched pair. Leonard moves back home to his parents' Brighton Beach, Brooklyn apartment, where he begins unconventional affairs with an erratic neighbour, Michelle (Gwyneth Paltrow), and a more traditional, family-approved Russian-Jewish girl, Sandra (Vinessa Shaw).

Consciously avoiding the recent newsworthy item about whether or not Phoenix's rap career is a hoax, Uptown's recent discussion with Gray began with whether or not the director is deliberately breaking away from the crime film.

James Gray: I actually wrote this before financing was in place on We Own the Night. It was always my plan to go from one directly into the other.

Uptown: What was the genesis of Two Lovers?

Gray: (Dostoyevsky's short story) White Nights was part of it. I wish I could say that I was lying in bed, looking up at the ceiling, and all of a sudden I came up with the story. But that's not really how it works. You get an element from here, an element from there, and ultimately it all comes together.

My wife and I decided to have a child and went to this (genetics) counsellor. I tested positive as a carrier for a couple of diseases. The counsellor said, 'Oh, thankfully your wife is negative because if you'd both been positive, that would have meant bad things for your children.' I had asked if that happens a lot, and he told me that it does.

It occurred to me that this is science's answer to destiny. So I wrote it down on an index card, put it away, and then realized what a great piece of backstory that could be.

Was Joaquin always your first choice?

Gray: I would not have made the movie without Joaquin Phoenix. I think he's a brilliant actor. And the same thing is true of Paltrow. I had seen The Talented Mr. Ripley and there's a moment where her character dissembles, and she was so good. I'd known her socially for a long time and really wanted to work with her. I was fortunate enough to send her the script and have her want to do it.

What was your process in working with the actors?

Gray: For Joaquin, we do many, many takes and it becomes about exploring - we're always adding or subtracting certain elements.

With Gwyneth, very few takes. She's such a precise actress, and there's an almost laser-like approach to her acting. So with her, two or three and we're good. She'll do as many as you want, but I found myself not needing to.

In fact, the set was a very happy one because she started to improvise with Joaquin a lot, and he became much more disciplined, stepping up his game. So, they met somewhere in the middle.

Two Lovers opens Friday.