 Ladies
in Lavender
Starring:
Judy Dench, Maggie Smith, and Daniel Bruhl
Directed by: Charles Dance
Bluntly
speaking? My undying
love for Ms. Judy Dench and Ms. Maggie Smith forbids me from voicing a more verbally
blunt opinion - but I will say, the acting is, as always superb, and the
fault of this film lay within director Charles Dances' seeming unwillingness to
edit his master performers' work; to tighten the piece. So, unfortunately we have
a terribly over dramatic, drawn out film, which at its heart is warm and well
meaning, but yet leaves you quietly just walking of of the theater, a bit hungrier
than when you arrived....and nothing more. Story
goes....It's the late 1930's, and two aging sisters (Maggie Smith and Judy Dench)
live at their family home along the Cornish coast of England. They are comfortable,
thrifty and simple women.
One day while taking their usual morning stroll
the spot a mysterious boy-man (Daniel Bruhl) washed upon the beach. He's half
drown. They take him into their home, and life.
As the man grows stronger
so does the relationship between the three - along with the " when strangers
come to a small town" shenanigans, and a new beau is on the scene stufamagol.
But like any wounded animal one finds and nurtures back to health, once this little
bird feels well he too must fly away and sing on his own- even if the sisters
had other plans for the lad...
The story is sweet if way-old-fashioned
(even for the day), the cinematography and acting superb. But even with it's rich
detailed Cornish backdrop and dollops of grandeur it's just utterly dull. And
the director uses these continual odd slow-motion bits that actually get a bit
funny after about the thirtieth time...
The girls are brilliant and Barcelona's
Daniel Bruhl 's man beauty grows on you - he is indeed a mansteak heading towards
his prime. But, even with these accents of tasty visuals of lush lands and manly
men, Ladies in Lavender is a tad to dry even for the artsy fartsyiest of
us I'm afraid. Snack
recommendation: Cod and tea while a nice Joshua Bell playing softly in the
background... |
