Elegy

The description of this movie claims that its about an older professor who falls in love with an ex student of his, and while that might be true, and a decent short hand explanation of the story it is by no means what the film is actually about.

Ben Kingsley plays David Kepesh a critic of all things culture oriented and artistic. He seems to have the coolest job in the world, read books, go to plays and then go on TV and the radio and talk about if its good or bad. He also teaches a class at some unnamed NYC University, and on the surface seems like a very nice and interesting guy, while in fact his character is genuinely unlikable, not to say you will not like him, I liked him, but he is just such a perfect example of hypocritical behavior.

He falls in love with Consuela played by Penelope Cruz, and would really like to have sex with her. He takes the time to woo her and plays his cards pretty close to the chest. For having 30+ years between them they actually make a nice little couple, not perfect, but I wouldn't bat an eye seeing them out in public. Of course he becomes jealous, and thinks she will leave him. It all plays out in that way like you know it will. The thing that made the film the most interesting is the conversations they have in it about life and ownership that directly corresponds to his love affair with Consuela.

The film opens talking about the "other" colony in the New World, that was sexually free and Paganistic, and how the Puritans wiped them out, and thus Americas fascination with the destruction of sexual freedom began and was set in stone. Another example of the things they discuss in the film is how no one owns art, or I suppose anything of that caliber for that matter, they in fact own us. So if you buy some famous painting, you will eventually die and it will go to a new owner and so on and so forth. We merely get to be there while it owns us, an interesting notion.

The story is a very slow burner, and not really for everyone. Like I said earlier Ben Kingsley plays a characters that's pretty easy to dislike. He is so jealous that she will be with a younger man, but sees no problem with sleeping around. Everything that he worries others will do he does himself, and in that way is so self centered and so full of himself. Its obvious he thinks he's above everyone else because he's smart and cultured and rich, but he is weaker than he appears.

The acting in it was decent enough, there's plenty of mopping around and longing looks, and so the acting didn't really stand out to me. Same goes for the cinematography , it was lit well, but none of it seemed to really push the boundaries, and the shots were composed pretty straight forward.

If you enjoy heavy dramas then this might be up your alley, but its nothing to run out and see. Overall it was a strong drama, with more to it than it initially appears. 7/10 stars.

Director: Isabel Coixet

Starring: Ben Kingsley, Penelope Cruz, Dennis Hopper, Patricia Clarkson, Peter Sarsgaard