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Saw Venus last night and it overcomes a lot I didn't like (the score, the tired practice of opening the movie with the final shot, the first half hour trying too hard, to much mining of the "old people cursing is inherently funny") to become a very thought provoking film.
I'm still not sure what I think about it, though at the moment the dominant feeling is pity and I'm pretty sure that isn't as intended.
Anyway, despite a little bit of showboating in the first half ("oh, look me! ain't I ooooold?) Peter O'Toole is great. I'm still two actors short in the Best Actor category but both Whitaker and O'Toole easily trump DiCaprio in Blood Diamond and with the "real person" handicap, the choice goes over to O'Toole though both are amazing.
To me, though, the real stunner of a performance was Leslie Phillips as Maurice's friend Ian.
A couple random thoughts:
- Until I saw his name written at the end of the movie I thought his name was Morris, not Maurice. Stupid accents.
- When did Vanessa Redgrave start looking like Michael Caine in drag?
- When Maurice and Ian had tea in those posh environs (after climbing the long stairs) where was that? The movie seemed to assume you'd know; I didn't.
- Where did they go after that with the plaques on the walls for famous dead actors?
- The score and soundtrack were intrusive and while the songs by Corinne Rae (or whatever her name is) are more than fine, I didn't care for them in the movie.
Also watched Drugstore Cowboy last night. I'm not easily disposed to "drug movies" of any bent but enjoyed this one. One thing I found interesting for its filmic rareness is that when Dillon's character decides to go clean, it doesn't seem to have been all that difficult. Yes, the straight life was boring, but not difficult.
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