Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Youth 2015


     Fred is a retired composer and conductor staying at an elegant hotel at the foot of the Alps.  He has been coming here for vacations for 20 years.  He used to come with his wife but now he visits with his long time friend Mick.  Mick is working on a screenplay for what may be his last important film.  Fred receives a visit from an emissary of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles.  They would like to attend an event featuring Fred as a conductor again.  Fred spurns their offer since he doesn’t intend to come out of retirement.
     This film is listed first as a comedy but I didn’t find it to be funny?  It is an ensemble piece and I think it suffers because of this genre?  There are a lot of characters, they have a lot of problems but not enough attention is given to each character or their problems?  The reasons aren’t given for the problems and no solutions either?  How can we have empathy for the characters and what they are going through if everything is watered down and stretched thin?  2* (I didn’t like this movie)
124 min, Drama directed by Paolo Sorrentino with Michael Caine, Harve Keitel, Rachel Weisz, Paul Dano, Alex Macqueen, Madalina Diana Ghenea, Jane Fonda.
Note:  Imdb 7.3 out of 10, 74% critic 69% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 3*, Amazon 3.4* out of 5* with 237 reviews.
Special Note:  Filmed in Kanton Graubunden, Kanton Bern, Switzerland; Venice and Lazio, Italy; London, England, UK.  There are three Oscar winners in this film, Caine, Fonda and Weize plus Keitel was a nominee.

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