Director: Paolo Sorrentino
Writer: Paolo Sorrentino
Stars: Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel, Rachel Weisz | See full cast and crew
Storyline
Fred and Mick, two old friends, are on vacation in an elegant hotel at
the foot of the Alps. Fred, a composer and conductor, is now retired.
Mick, a film director, is still working. They look with curiosity and
tenderness on their children's confused lives, Mick's enthusiastic young
writers, and the other hotel guests. While Mick scrambles to finish the
screenplay for what he imagines will be his last important film, Fred
has no intention of resuming his musical career. But someone wants at
all costs to hear him conduct again.
Good follow-up to "La Grande Bellezza"
A lot should be
expected of Paolo Sorrentino after "La Grande Bellezza", and there is a
lot here. In particular, I should mention first the scenery and
cinematography, and the music, all of which are sublime.
The dialogue is provocative, full of memorable lines and strong emotions, so kudos to the writers. The subject matter was heavy, but there is a fair share of lighter moments, and, in particular, irony.
I would not think that the acting was at all improvised, with the possible exception of some of the riffing the "screenwriters" working with Harvey Keitel's character were doing. Still, strong performances in particular from Keitel, Jane Fonda in a small role, the young actress who plays the masseuse, and a dignified Michael Caine.
Sorrentino continues to give homage to Fellini, which I love, while his central characters (Caine in this one, Toni Servillo in LGB) work through the kind of existential issues which Fellini tackled and which Sorrentino, though he is not an old man, seems to be anticipating. Nostalgia, regret, the sweetness and the bitterness that comes from the awareness of the limitations of our short lives.
The one thing that struck me as useless to the story--maybe I just didn't get it--was the turn Paul Dano's character made for a couple of scenes as...well, I shouldn't spoil it. It struck everyone in the scenes as inappropriate, and I guess that was the point, but really, why? For me, that takes it down to a 9 rating--still, a top-notch effort.
Movie Source: http://www.imdb.com
The dialogue is provocative, full of memorable lines and strong emotions, so kudos to the writers. The subject matter was heavy, but there is a fair share of lighter moments, and, in particular, irony.
I would not think that the acting was at all improvised, with the possible exception of some of the riffing the "screenwriters" working with Harvey Keitel's character were doing. Still, strong performances in particular from Keitel, Jane Fonda in a small role, the young actress who plays the masseuse, and a dignified Michael Caine.
Sorrentino continues to give homage to Fellini, which I love, while his central characters (Caine in this one, Toni Servillo in LGB) work through the kind of existential issues which Fellini tackled and which Sorrentino, though he is not an old man, seems to be anticipating. Nostalgia, regret, the sweetness and the bitterness that comes from the awareness of the limitations of our short lives.
The one thing that struck me as useless to the story--maybe I just didn't get it--was the turn Paul Dano's character made for a couple of scenes as...well, I shouldn't spoil it. It struck everyone in the scenes as inappropriate, and I guess that was the point, but really, why? For me, that takes it down to a 9 rating--still, a top-notch effort.
Movie Source: http://www.imdb.com
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