As I continue to work up my nerve to watch Hanekes AMOUR--a shameful omission in my viewing, since Ive professionally published and lectured about Haneke--I tackled a doubtless lesser and lighter film about old age, QUARTET (2012). Its quite good. Dustin Hoffman makes his directorial debut at the age of 75, and is ably supported by such fellow oldsters as the excellent screenwriter Ronald Harwood and the main players Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly, Pauline Collins, and Michael Gambon. Set in a home for aging musicians, its nicely bittersweet, even if it hardly avoids the sentimentality that its theme makes such a danger. As the final credits make explicit, its about the old age not only of the characters but also of the people who made the film, including a number of actual retired musicians who play various bit parts. Hey, remember Courtenays brilliant debut way back in 1962, in Tony Richardsons THE LONELINESS OF THE LONG DISTANCE RUNNER? Back then, it was hard to imagine him as ever growing old.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 16:48:09 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015