Directed by:
Giuseppe TornatoreScreenplay:
Giuseppe TornatoreCinematography:
Fabio ZamarionComposer:
Ennio MorriconeCast:
Geoffrey Rush, Jim Sturgess, Sylvia Hoeks, Donald Sutherland, Philip Jackson, Dermot Crowley, Kiruna Stamell, Liya Kebede, Caterina Capodilista, Gen Seto (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
Virgil Oldman is a solitary, cultured man whose reluctance to engage with others, especially women, is matched only by the dogged obsessiveness with which he practices his profession of antiques dealer. He's never been close to another human being, not even Robert, his only friend – a young, skillful restorer of mechanical devices from every era. The day he turns sixty-three, Virgil receives a phone call from a young woman who asks him to handle the disposal of some family works of art. But when the time comes for his first site visit, the girl fails to appear, nor, for various reasons, is she present for the taking of the inventory or for the transportation and restoration of the pieces.
More than once Virgil is tempted to bow out of what appears to be nothing but a bothersome mess, but on each occasion, the mysterious young woman, locked in her own obsessional world, convinces him to continue. And with this, the old antique dealer's life begins to take an unexpected turn. It is Robert who shows him, step-by-step, how to win the heart of a young woman who is afraid of the world and, caught in the middle of this puzzling game of chess, Virgil soon finds himself enveloped by a passion that will transform his grey existence forever. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (10)
Well... And on my imaginary list of movie theatrical experiences of 2013 I can tick the box "Absolutely great NEW film with no special effects or action". I understood the protagonist played by the excellent Geoffrey Rush as well as any character in a long time and that's probably why the ending affected me so much. Morricone's amazing music, an unexpected but magical trip to Prague, and a well thought out script. Just another treat from Giuseppe Tornatore.__P.S. I've never seen such a huge list of images used in any end credits.__P.P.S. The less you know about the plot beforehand, the better.
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Like his hero, Tornatore is a bit of a museum exhibit, to whom the information age must seem like a deceitfully wounding enemy and film as an intimate room of certainty. Emotionally, the film stopped affecting me (intentionally) in the excessive second third, and whilst the twist is well thought out and well prepared, the conclusion is unnecessarily long and literal. Excellent actors (the duets of Rush - Sturgess / Rush - Sutherland are decorative), visually, it’s a great splendor (the reference to Sorrentino is not accidental - he and Tornatore still believe in the power of unnecessary gestures), and the musical background is perhaps too sentimental. A pleasant museum of nostalgia, folly and defensive detachment from reality. I liked the motifs of the thirteenth room, the automaton, and the truthful dwarf the most in this somewhat mechanical metaphor of uncertainty, creativity, and destructiveness of emotion.
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What a phenomenal film fake. It's not about the finale or the structure of the screenplay, whose twist is predictable from halfway through. Focus on the captivating camera, life the themes and truths, Geoffrey Rush's performance, and the pure emotions. A film about love with all its positives and negatives, it only matters whether it works out or not. And at the same time, it points out that nothing may be as it initially seems. Absolutely complex, a masterpiece.
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This is a film that absolutely blew me away with its conclusion. I thought it was just going to be a specific romance, but it had so many extra elements. Whether it's the auction, one of the first robots, or that final twist that really got to me. Giuseppe Tornatore continues to show that he has what it takes to make interesting films. This one was good, thanks in part to the great Geoffrey Rush.
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The beauty of hidden paintings hanging on the walls, the increasing tension of art auction participants in proportion to the rising price of their sought-after treasures to enrich their collections, the mystery of artifacts from old mechanisms, and above all, the secrets that people hide behind the tightly guarded mask of their faces and carefully controlled emotions, behind the facade of their status and social relationships. Tornatore plays with his protagonist as well as with his viewers. Although I roughly figured out where the game was heading halfway through, surprisingly, I didn't detract anything from the exceptionally high final impression. It's worth watching the film for the top craftsmanship, Tornatore's perfectionism, the fascinating performance of veteran actor Geoffrey Rush, the atmosphere of a neglected noble palace, and the process of discovering what lies beneath the layer of dust, old colors, and words. The film is actually a story about (self)love, late realization, and late regrets. And last but not least, it's also about hope, because as we know, hope dies last. I had the opportunity to watch The Wolf of Wall Street and this film in one day, and the slow-paced Tornatore triumphed emotionally over Scorsese. Overall impression: 90%. I would immediately go to Prague to see if Virgil is still waiting there...
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