Watch the trailer: http://www.moviefone.com/movie/venus/24591/main
I saw this movie in the theater on first release and founding it to be funny, touching, sad, and ultimately heartbreaking. This is one of Peter O'Toole's finest performances in recent years and watching him you feel that he's really not acting but living the part. Years of drinking has affected his health & appearance so he seems a natural for the part and it's hard to imagine any other actor in his place. Here he plays an old actor in ill health reduced to taking bit parts while he maintains his sense of humor and his taste for good liquor. As you see from the trailer, his routine life becomes complicated when he meets his friend's unruly grandniece. O'Toole takes her under his wing to find her a job and educate her in the finer things in life. He means well and in a way he's trying to recapture his youth by being with her, but some reviewers attacked his character as a leering dirty old man. I think this is an unfair criticism but you can decide for yourself. It's impossible not to like this old rascal oozing with charm and self-deprecating humor.
The trailer omits the plot's heavier turns so be forewarned. I was weepy when leaving the theater and watching it again on DVD, a two year gap, made me break down in tears. There's a few reasons: I do get teary-eyed when prompted by a good story. I sympathized with O'Toole whose character had prostate problems like me. And seeing how the ageing process changes your life is something I see with my parents and is something that is waiting for me as I turn 60 next year. As if all this wasn't enough to move me, I had a stressful week at work. So piling all this together and washing it down by a glass of pinot noir hit me hard at the film's conclusion.
The rest of the cast is marvelous including newcomer Jodie Whittaker who manages to hold her own against the rest of the seasoned pros like Leslie Phillips, Richard Griffiths, and Vanessa Redgrave who makes the most of her small role as O'Toole's patient & understanding ex-wife. Watching these two together is worth the price of the rental. There's a good 'Making of' featurette on the DVD. Playing the soundtrack in the surround mode diminished the clarity of dialogue so switching over to 2-channel stereo was a big improvement as you don't want to miss the jokes.
The trailer omits the plot's heavier turns so be forewarned. I was weepy when leaving the theater and watching it again on DVD, a two year gap, made me break down in tears. There's a few reasons: I do get teary-eyed when prompted by a good story. I sympathized with O'Toole whose character had prostate problems like me. And seeing how the ageing process changes your life is something I see with my parents and is something that is waiting for me as I turn 60 next year. As if all this wasn't enough to move me, I had a stressful week at work. So piling all this together and washing it down by a glass of pinot noir hit me hard at the film's conclusion.
The rest of the cast is marvelous including newcomer Jodie Whittaker who manages to hold her own against the rest of the seasoned pros like Leslie Phillips, Richard Griffiths, and Vanessa Redgrave who makes the most of her small role as O'Toole's patient & understanding ex-wife. Watching these two together is worth the price of the rental. There's a good 'Making of' featurette on the DVD. Playing the soundtrack in the surround mode diminished the clarity of dialogue so switching over to 2-channel stereo was a big improvement as you don't want to miss the jokes.
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