Sep 13 2008
Elegy
Dir: Isabel Coixet
Writ: Nicholas Meyer based on book by Philip Roth
- Ben Kingsley … David Kepesh
- Penélope Cruz … Consuela Castillo
- Dennis Hopper … George O’Hearn
- Peter Sarsgaard … Kenneth Kepesh
David Kepesh, sometime narrator of this film, is an ageing lecturer. Or an ageing Tom Cat, going from woman to woman in order to maintain his independence. And then Consuela comes to his class.
This is quite a depressing film. Kepesh views ageing as this terrible thing, and he isn’t quite sure how he got to be so old. He is possessive and uncertain because of the age difference between himself and Consuela. 30 odd years. Although I think that Cruz is older than the character she is playing; which probably makes it easier to watch.
The first half is probably the best of the film, as we watch Kepesh look at his own life, dismiss his problems with his son, worry about getting old, about Consuela using him as a “bit of culture”. But it is all a bit bleak to be entertaining. And a little too predictable to be more than a character-study.
There are a few scenes worth watching, mainly the ones involving Dennis Hopper[1] but overall I was just left feeling a little cold. Also, while I appreciate that this is told from Kepesh’s POV there is actually not a whole lot of character in Consuela. She is the object, the pursued, the acted upon. And while the film addresses this with Hopper’s Beautiful women are invisible philosophy it still remains a fact that it is David and not Consuela who is at the centre of the film.
Oh it is lovely to look at though. V pretty. But it is trying to more than it is.
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Tags: 6 Stars, based on book, Ben Kingsley, bleak, character study, Dennis Hopper, depressing, Elegy, feminism, Isabel Coixet, looks pretty, nice touches, Nicholas Meyer, Penelope Cruz, Peter Sarsgaard, Philip Roth, R16
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2 Responses to “Elegy”
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I was wondering about going to see this or not and yours is the first review I’ve come across. I might give it a miss- there are a lot of films to be seen at the mo’ and a mediocre one isn’t necessary. Cheers for that.
You’re probably better off passing. It isn’t a bad film, not at all, but there are a lot better