Venus
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Movie Reviews of Venus
Movie Review: Peter O'Toole's Performance Elevates it From Pedestrian
Summary: 3 Stars
Peter O'Toole, the highly-esteemed Irish actor ("Lawrence of Arabia," "The Ruling Class,") received a well-deserved 2006 Oscar nomination for the English-made "Venus," though, unfortunately for him, not the nod ( who could ignore Forest Whittaker in "The Last King of Scotland?") But O'Toole did give a genuinely towering performance; and they always say the Oscar voters love you if you allow yourself to look ugly, or disabled, onscreen. O'Toole allowed himself to look ugly/old, and dead onscreen, so I guess that had to count heavily in his favor.
"Venus" is actually a drily funny, unsentimentally witty film, as written by Hanif Kureishi("My Beautiful Laundrette"), and directed by Roger Michell; although its plot is rather pedestrian. It's set among a bunch of aging theatrical friends, and gives viewers a pretty good idea of what their lives might be like. Maurice, (O'Toole), who would generally be politely called a "larger than life character," manages to be a horny, dirty old man, despite, or perhaps because of, the fact that we're told a recent needed operation was going to leave him impotent and incontinent. He falls in love with 20-year old Jessie (Jodie Whittaker), the hard, provincial, lazy, little-educated niece of his best friend Ian (Leslie Phillips), who's been sent to look after him in his dotage. Vanessa Redgrave turns in a fine performance as Valerie, still actually Maurice's last wife. Richard Griffiths provides sturdy support as Donald, the third old theatrical friend.
The presence of O'Toole is critical to the film's success: most viewers do know that, in real life, he was one handsome devil as a younger man, and we need to know that in order to believe that a not-so-bright girl of twenty could manage to get to be fond of a man four times her age,and not a millionaire. There also can be little doubt that O'Toole salts many of his lines as Maurice with his real-time lifetime of experience. He might not have won the Oscar, but his performance still makes the movie worth seeing.
Movie Review: Desire and death....
Summary: 3 Stars
Not the death of desire, which this film tells us is ever alive. The flashing blue Lawrence-eyes are rheumy; the always spare frame is now fragile; the striking handsomeness bears the marks of time and a life hard-lived; the once powerful voice an echo of itself. But Peter O'Toole the great actor, is still in there, strong and vital, and he brings dignity to a very delicate piece about an old man's continuing desire for female beauty, and the life represented there, even on the precipice of eternity. And for that, this film is worth seeing.
O'Toole's Maurice feels mortality in every breath, and the indignities and infirmities of old age are present in every waking moment. He passes the time playing corpses in TV shows, and trading pills with his ancient friends. His has been a life lived selfishly, in service to his own pleasure, as is tellingly revealed in the very nice scene with his ex-wife, played by Vanessa Redgrave. The old ham finds infatuation with a rather fatuous young woman and this final dance with desire will bring some insight to the object of his affection and some final reflection to the old "player".
This is difficult material, an old man's lust or love for a young woman, but it was presented honestly in that both parties are using the other for their own purposes, until perhaps the end. If they are changed by one another, it is in subtle small ways, and while the ending may seem a bit too neat, the relationship limned before has been carefully constructed.
I found great care in the presentation, treading a fine line. It is a wistful film about final days and the heart's ever longing. Or, as Peter O'Toole says, it's about a dirty old man and a (trampy) young woman. It is both. Not for everyone, I found it worthwhile.
Movie Review: Kind of a weird movie!
Summary: 3 Stars
Two elderly actors, who have been friends for a very long time, are anxiously dealing with life and waiting for death. One of them has a niece whose daughter offered to come from the farmside to take care of him. He however discovers that she is a total nightmare and as a result he totally rejects her.
His friend on the other hand falls in love with her. She is 50 years younger than him and he still falls in love with her and wants her so badly, sometimes in many sick ways. She couldn't accept him at first but later when she became the cause of his serious injury, she dedicated her life to him until he died.
The story is kind of sick! I mean what kind of an 80 year old guy would fall in love and have these kinds of instincts towards a 20 year old girl. I believe the kind of a sick minded!
At the end of the movie you just learn from it that even older men are not totally safe and are still capable of harassing young women!
The movie was kind of slow and at many times boring too.
Movie Review: Fresh perspective on the tragedy of growing old - but the depiction of women is troubling
Summary: 3 Stars
"Venus" explores the strange relationship between an aging actor (Peter O'Toole) and a "lost" young lady, newly arrived in London. They both "need" each other in their own way. The story is both an unsettling male fantasy and a fresh meditation on the tragedy of growing old. O'Toole is brilliant as the old man - but one can't help feeling somewhat troubled by the rather degrading depiction of the young lady in this film.Movie Review: It could've been a classic....
Summary: 3 Stars
I really liked this movie, dispite the unnecessary vulgar language. If not for that, I would've rated this movie much higher and purchased it for my collection. I compare it to "Lolita" in many ways. If you can get past the filthy and offensive language, watch and enjoy this movie.