Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Elegy


Isabel Coixet: Elegy (US 2007) with Penélope Cruz (Consuela Castillo) and Ben Kingsley (David Kepesh). The Finnish title Kauneuden valta means The Power of Beauty. 

Kauneuden valta / Elegy – skönhetens makt. 
    US © 2007 Lakeshore. D: Isabel Coixet. SC: Nicholas Meyer – based on the novel The Dying Animal (2001) by Philip Roth. DP: Jean-Claude Larrieu – 1,85:1 – color. LOC: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. 
    CAST: Ben Kingsley (David Kepesh), Penélope Cruz (Consuela Castillo), Patricia Clarkson (Carolyn), Dennis Hopper (George O'Hearn), Deborah Harry (Amy O'Hearn), Peter Sarsgaard (Kenneth Kepesh). 
    108 min
    A Future Film release with Finnish / Swedish subtitles by JS.
    Viewed at Kinopalatsi 5, Helsinki, 5 Jan 2009. 

A digi-mastered look, not grating, as the film is based on close-ups and medium shots of people. – There are parallels to The Human Stain: the male protagonist is a senior professor, and the female protagonist is a young woman who faces a crisis. The affair between the two is both profoundly fulfilling and deeply disturbing. The professor's breast fetish is not exaggerated in the movie, but Penélope Cruz's charms are wonderfully displayed. Among other things, the film is a celebration of her beautiful breasts. For the female viewer, Ben Kingsley's naked body is in perfect shape, he could be 30 years old. – The professor has always been emotionally immature. One of the big themes of the story is that reaching maturity is still possible at an advanced age. – All performances are good. Patricia Clarkson is the professor's grown-up lover. Dennis Hopper and Deborah Harry are the couple who are his best friends. Peter Sarsgaard plays the perennially frustrated son.

Isabel Coixet: Elegy (US 2007) with Penélope Cruz (Consuela Castillo). A story of breast cancer. Consuela wants to enjoy the pleasures of her breasts to the full before mastectomy. 

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