The movie-making
team of Producer Ismael Merchant, Director James Ivory and Writer Ruth
Prawer Jhabvala made a name for themselves with literary films,
slow-paced, intricate, character-driven stories set in glamorous
locales, with fine acting, lovely settings and people who had
interesting stories to tell. They triumphed with "A Room With a View,"
"Heat and Dust," "Jefferson in Paris," "Mr. and Mrs. Bridge" and
"Howards End," to name a handful.
team of Producer Ismael Merchant, Director James Ivory and Writer Ruth
Prawer Jhabvala made a name for themselves with literary films,
slow-paced, intricate, character-driven stories set in glamorous
locales, with fine acting, lovely settings and people who had
interesting stories to tell. They triumphed with "A Room With a View,"
"Heat and Dust," "Jefferson in Paris," "Mr. and Mrs. Bridge" and
"Howards End," to name a handful.
Merchant died in
2005, and "The City of Your Final Destination" is an Ivory-Jhabvala
effort. It's an interesting movie, with some fine acting (Anthony
Hopkins, Laura Linney, Charlotte Gainsbourg) and glorious cinematography
of a rich, aging home on a slightly seedy ranch and plantation in
Uruguay by Javier Aguirresarobe, the man behind the camera for "Vicky,
Cristina, Barcelona."
"The City of Your
Final Destination" opens today at the Plaza Frontenac
2005, and "The City of Your Final Destination" is an Ivory-Jhabvala
effort. It's an interesting movie, with some fine acting (Anthony
Hopkins, Laura Linney, Charlotte Gainsbourg) and glorious cinematography
of a rich, aging home on a slightly seedy ranch and plantation in
Uruguay by Javier Aguirresarobe, the man behind the camera for "Vicky,
Cristina, Barcelona."
But the movie falls
short, in several places. We start with a young college professor, Omar
Razaghi (Omar Metwally) who wants to write a biography of Jules Gund, a
not-very-well-known writer. When Gund's family refuses to turn over his
papers and files, and says they will not be interviewed, Razaghi is
ready to give up and kiss tenure good-bye, but finally yields to his
girl friend's badgering and heads for Uruguay. He is afraid to go back
to the girl friend, and the family is too polite and well-bred to throw
him out, so he stays. Over time, and among family bickering, Razaghi
begins to change some minds among the mass of peculiar people that give
the word "family" some new meanings.
short, in several places. We start with a young college professor, Omar
Razaghi (Omar Metwally) who wants to write a biography of Jules Gund, a
not-very-well-known writer. When Gund's family refuses to turn over his
papers and files, and says they will not be interviewed, Razaghi is
ready to give up and kiss tenure good-bye, but finally yields to his
girl friend's badgering and heads for Uruguay. He is afraid to go back
to the girl friend, and the family is too polite and well-bred to throw
him out, so he stays. Over time, and among family bickering, Razaghi
begins to change some minds among the mass of peculiar people that give
the word "family" some new meanings.
We have Gund's
widow, Caroline (the always outstanding Laura Linney) and his girl
friend, Arden (Charlotte Gainsbourg, with too little to do), and her
daughter, Portia (Ambar Mallman). There's also Gund's brother, Adam
(Anthony Hopkins, in very good form), and his long time lover and
companion, Pete (Hiroyuki Sanado). They all live on the estate, they
don't like each other very much and they don't trust each other at all.
widow, Caroline (the always outstanding Laura Linney) and his girl
friend, Arden (Charlotte Gainsbourg, with too little to do), and her
daughter, Portia (Ambar Mallman). There's also Gund's brother, Adam
(Anthony Hopkins, in very good form), and his long time lover and
companion, Pete (Hiroyuki Sanado). They all live on the estate, they
don't like each other very much and they don't trust each other at all.
And eventually,
Deidre, the girl friend (Alexandra Maria Lara) also shows up. She's
pushy and rude and unpleasant, a big pain in the posterior.
Deidre, the girl friend (Alexandra Maria Lara) also shows up. She's
pushy and rude and unpleasant, a big pain in the posterior.
Meanwhile, Adam
allows as how he'll change his vote in the family argument about helping
our scholar, but he tries to engage him in a smuggling operation in
exchange. Arden flirts with Omar, but they just don't seem energetic to
have an affair. Deidre tromps around like an ugly American. Caroline
tries to figure out how to exchange Uruguay for New York.
allows as how he'll change his vote in the family argument about helping
our scholar, but he tries to engage him in a smuggling operation in
exchange. Arden flirts with Omar, but they just don't seem energetic to
have an affair. Deidre tromps around like an ugly American. Caroline
tries to figure out how to exchange Uruguay for New York.
Things just move
along, slowly, in summer heat that enervates everyone. There seems no
reason why a scholar, even a half-baked one like Omar, should be so
interested in a half-baked writer like George Gund, or why his
university seems so eager for him to write this book.
along, slowly, in summer heat that enervates everyone. There seems no
reason why a scholar, even a half-baked one like Omar, should be so
interested in a half-baked writer like George Gund, or why his
university seems so eager for him to write this book.
The dialogue is not
up to Jhabvala's past writing, and without a producer of Merchant's
skill to hammer on the other sides of the movie-making triangle,
everything goes out of sync and the viewer probably will run out of
patience.
up to Jhabvala's past writing, and without a producer of Merchant's
skill to hammer on the other sides of the movie-making triangle,
everything goes out of sync and the viewer probably will run out of
patience.
"The City of Your
Final Destination" opens today at the Plaza Frontenac
–Joe