Youth
Synopsis
And so - with Easter upon us - we come to the end of our season. Our last film is really beautiful and appropriate to the season change - Paolo Sorrentino's latest film (his first in English) is all about old folks looking back on their lives and trying to decide whether it is worth trying just one more time. Can he turn Winter into Spring..?
Sorrentino specialises in films about youth and age, life and death, but never forgetting to show how beautiful the world is (viz 'The Great Beauty', 2014 Oscar winner). 'Youth' is no exception: "there are intense visions of both sagging, bloated flesh and the transient bloom of ravishing sexuality - while the exquisite camerawork is itself always a reminder of how much beauty there is in the world" - Dave Sexton, Evening Standard.
The films is inundated with stars: Michael Caine plays Fred Ballinger, an aging, retired classical composer who is in a luxurious sanatorium for a health check ("At my age, getting in shape is a waste of time"). His daughter and assistant is played by Rachel Weisz and his best friend, Mick Boyle, a major film director, is played by Harvey Keitel. Along the way we also meet Jane Fonda and Paul Dano plus a pot pourri of pop stars playing themselves.
Fred is offered the chance to play one last concert for Prince Philip's birthday; should he come out of retirement or not? Mick is trying to get one last film written and directed; can he finally come up with the last line of the film?
Sorrentino mixes in music and musings to give us plenty to think about and enjoy: "This film really appears to be peering inside the director's mind, and it’s chaotic and fascinating. Most bizarre are the fictional representations of real-life characters who infatuate him, including surreal musings on Diego Maradona, Hitler, a levitating Buddhist and a veiled Arab woman. 'Youth' may take place in one location but Sorrentino brings the world to it" - Kaleem Aftab, Independent.
Unlike Fred and Mick here, we always think it is worth trying one more time - we'll be back in the Autumn; Have a great Summer!
Sorrentino specialises in films about youth and age, life and death, but never forgetting to show how beautiful the world is (viz 'The Great Beauty', 2014 Oscar winner). 'Youth' is no exception: "there are intense visions of both sagging, bloated flesh and the transient bloom of ravishing sexuality - while the exquisite camerawork is itself always a reminder of how much beauty there is in the world" - Dave Sexton, Evening Standard.
The films is inundated with stars: Michael Caine plays Fred Ballinger, an aging, retired classical composer who is in a luxurious sanatorium for a health check ("At my age, getting in shape is a waste of time"). His daughter and assistant is played by Rachel Weisz and his best friend, Mick Boyle, a major film director, is played by Harvey Keitel. Along the way we also meet Jane Fonda and Paul Dano plus a pot pourri of pop stars playing themselves.
Fred is offered the chance to play one last concert for Prince Philip's birthday; should he come out of retirement or not? Mick is trying to get one last film written and directed; can he finally come up with the last line of the film?
Sorrentino mixes in music and musings to give us plenty to think about and enjoy: "This film really appears to be peering inside the director's mind, and it’s chaotic and fascinating. Most bizarre are the fictional representations of real-life characters who infatuate him, including surreal musings on Diego Maradona, Hitler, a levitating Buddhist and a veiled Arab woman. 'Youth' may take place in one location but Sorrentino brings the world to it" - Kaleem Aftab, Independent.
Unlike Fred and Mick here, we always think it is worth trying one more time - we'll be back in the Autumn; Have a great Summer!
Critics
“A joyous, gently moving experience anchored by a fearless central turn from Michael Caine.”
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