A surprise hit (with me at least!) (Elegy (DVD))

Member Name: manonfireuk

Product:	Elegy (DVD)
Date:	08/11/09 (19 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Superb performance from Ben Kingsley

Disadvantages: Some may find it slow

A charismatic professor enjoys his pursuit of adventurous female students but never lets any woman get too close. When Consuela Castillo enters his classroom his protective veneer dissolves. She both captivates and unsettles him. She has a strong sense of herself and an emotional intensity that challenges his preconceptions. The professor's need for Consuela becomes an obsession, but ultimately his jealous fantasies of betrayal drive her away. Shattered, the professor faces up to the ravages of time, immersing himself in work and confronting the loss of old friends. Then, two years later, Consuela comes back into his life with an urgent, desperate request that will change everything.

Either this film was never released at the cinema or it managed to sneak by me somehow but it is well worth catching if you can. Some may find it a little slow and I guess it is a slow film but it needs to be as it explores the lead character's relationship and obsession with this younger woman. This is the first time that I have seen a film that has explored the older man's insecurties about who he is, what people will think and why this woman has fallen for him. It works really well and Ben Kingsley is very well cast in the role.

The emotional intensity of the film and it's subject matter won't be to everyone's taste but the quality of the acting in this film is very strong, strong enough to carry the theme of facing mortality without a sense of cliche. The film is wonderfully thought provoking and well made.

Summary: tragic love story that will appeal to both men and women