Venus (2006): Roger Michell’s Feature, Starring Peter O’Tool in Oscar Caliber Performance

Representing another fruitful collaboration of the team that made the widely acclaimed “The Mother,” Venus reunites director Roger Michell (Notting Hill), screenwriter Hanif Kureishi (My Beautiful Laundrette, “Intimacy”) and producer Kevin Loader.

“Venus” represents the same modest, well-acted chamber piece that “The Mother” (which premiered in Cannes last year) was. Thematically, the film is based on a similar character and same juxtaposition, here in the form of an unexpected relationship between an old bitter charcater and a much younger and spunkier one that revitalizes the former, bringing joy to the autumn of his life.

Reversing the genders of “The Mother” protags, in “Venus,” the older character is a vet actor, Maurice, (Peter O’Toole) and the younger protagt is an uneducated woman named Jessie (well played by newcomer Jodie Whittaker).the grand-niece of Maurice’s best friend, also a vet actor, Ian (Leslie Phillips).

As in most British drama, particularly in Kureishi’s work, there’s a huge gap in age and social class, and here also erotic tension between the two central figures.

Was Peter O’Toole “prophetic” in 2004, when he initially rejected the Honorary Oscar from the Academy, based on his belief that he was still in the run for a legit recognition, not quite ready for a career achievement trophy (In the end, you may recall, O’Toole consented and accepted the award). I mention that, because O’Toole astonishingly subtle performance as the seventysomething thespian should earn him his eighth Oscar nomination (and perhaps the coveted award itself), when Miramax opens the movie stateside December 15. (See Oscar Alert)

Right now, “Venus” plays the major film festivals. It premieres this weekend in Telluride and goes to Toronto next week, where O’Toole is bound to be critically acclaimed, giving Miramax enough ammunition to plan a strategic Oscar campaign for him at year’s end.

Drawing on the narrative paradigm of the “Outsider,” a stranger who changes peoples’ lives dramatically just by sheer physical presence, Venus tells the story of Maurice and Ian, a pair of cantankerous, though not devoid of humor, old thespians, whose comfortable daily routine is disrupted by the arrival of Ians grand-niece Jessie.

In the first chapters, Maurice and Ian, two vet actor friends are seen chatting about their deteriorating health, increased reliance on medication, declining memory, and so on. Comfy with each other, they bicker and exchange witty barbs affectionately in their regular meetings in their modest London flats and coffee shops. Occasionally, they are joined in the coffee shop or pub by a third actor friend, Donald (Richard Griffiths, soon to be seen as the teacher in “The History Boys”).

Ian is preparing for the arrival of Jessie, his nieces teenage daughter, who is arriving from the more provincial North of England to stay with him, hoping she would take care of his needs. However, initially, Jessie proves to be your typical “irresponsible” girl, lazy, crass, hard-drinking, and cuursing, making it clear she has no intent of becoming Ian’s maid, nurse, or even social companion.

To help his friend, Maurice takes Jessie under his wing and starts showing her London. He takes her to see a play, to movie set to watch him play a bit role, and to the National Gallery to see (again) his favorite painting, Velazquez’s portriat of Venus (thus the picture’s title). The film’s very last scene makes the title even more poignant.

Gradually, to Maurice and Jessee’s surprise, they grow fond of and become attached to each other. A brief scene to his former wife (played by the still regal Vanessa Redgrave) shows that Maurice has probably never met an abrasive girl like Jesse. Even so, more open-minded than his age or position would suggest, he dubs Jessie his Venus.

At this point, living a life of quiet desperation, Maurice is resigned to the fact that his own life is coming to an end, but through Jesse, he rediscovers repressed feelings and desire that’s been dormant for years. For her part, Jessie is drawn to Maurice, confiding in him.

The film takes a turn when Jessie starts dating a loutish youth, and soon abuses Maurice’s trust by asking for money and other favors. Maurice consents, aware that his romantic hope for Jessie are futile, but also recognizing the last taste of youth and passion she has been granting him.

Under his tutorship, a deeper, more intimate, and even erotic relationship develops between the duo. Very much a journey of self-discovery movie, in due process, both Maurice and Jessie discover how little they each know each other’s needs and desires, their expectations from others, and from life in general.

“Venus” could have ben caled Educating Jessie, after the 1984 movie, “Educating Rita,” with Michael Caine and Julie Walters as his student-hairdrsser. Indeed, along with conversations, educational sessions, visits to to museums and to the theater (one scene is set in the Royal Court Theatre), there are more intimate scenes. In time, Maurice sets a bath for Jessie and is allowed to watch her, and later, she lets him caress, but not kiss, her neck.

In position of undeniable power, Jessie sets the rules, at least as far as physical contact is concerned. When Maurice crosses the line and grabs her breasts (for example), Jesse gets upset, walks out, and disappears for a day or, only to come back later.

Problem is, the film can’t decide how far to go in exploring the relationship between Maurice and Jessie, and thus it unfolds as step and counter-step, until reaching a denouement in a satisfying if also predictable manner.

Let me explain. Since the female protagonist is very young, pushing the text into a too explicitly sexual direction might suggest that Maurice is a dirty old man and that his is a corruptive, damaging influence on a teenage girl. There’s a boyfriend in the background, and in one scene, they even use Muarice’s own flat to make out, only to be caught by him, but the boy is Jessie’s age.

Vanessa Redgrave plays Maurices atill loving former wife and mother of his three children, whom Maurice had abandoned for another, younger actress. Restricted to two or three scenes, Redgrave’s character is underdeveloped and so is Ian’s. Is Ian gay Is he infatuated with Maurice beyond the permitted professional camaraderie and personal friendship

In remarkably subdued performance, O’Toole, an actor who often chews the scenery with his histrionics, portrays the kind of old man we have never seen before, certainly not in American films. Though not physically well, Maurice is not limping, and he is not crotchety, as Henry Fonda was in “Golden Pond,” a film that won Fonda his first and only Oscar, just months before he died.

“Venus” doesn’t make the mistake of de-sexualizing an old man. Reflecting the puritanical, hygienic, and perhaps even hypocritical nature of sexuality in American culture, Hollywood movies seldom depict desire, and if they do, it’s in a pejorative and judgmental way. In American movies, the old men, usually grandparents, tend to bond not with their children as with their grandchildren. Refreshingly, there are no children and no such subplots in “Venus.”

At times, the romantic and erotic scenes in “Venus” feel deliberately awkward, and they might make both younger and older viewers uncomfortable. It’s like watching your old father or grandfather desire (and lusts after) a much younger alluring woman.

In wish the resolution had not been so pat or moralistic in suggesting that it’s not only the wise old who can teach the young in the ways of the world, but that the young may have profound influence on the older folks too. Subtle as it is, ultimately, “Venus” is a film about life lessons, and in the end, Jesse transforms from a boorish girl to a more sensitive, confident, and independent woman.

Ultra modest in scope and ambition, “Venus” is a two-handler “Relationship” film, and one about great acting. The story begins and ends with visual symmetry by the ocean. The outdoor scenes, depicting Maurice and Jessie’s outings, are meant to open up the inherently indoor yarn, but succeed only partially in making the movie less static; in moments, the movie is a tad too dull and bleak.

“Venus” is not necessarily better acted than “The Mother” was, but it has a name-cast, headed by Peter O’Toole and Vanessa Redgrave in a small, supporting role.

Oscar Alert

Laced with a good deal of humor and irony, “Venus” is more commercially viable than “Mother,” and Miramax could exploit its subject, high-caliber acting, and prestige, in a way that other small British movies have in the past. Peter Yates’ “The Dresser, in 1983, also set in the theater world, with Oscar-nominated turns from Albert Finney and Tom Courtenay, comes to mind.

Incidentally, Henry Fonda was roughly the same age as O’Toole is now, 74, when he won the Oscar for “On Golden Pond.”

xosotin chelseathông tin chuyển nhượngcâu lạc bộ bóng đá arsenalbóng đá atalantabundesligacầu thủ haalandUEFAevertonxosokeonhacaiketquabongdalichthidau7m.newskqbdtysokeobongdabongdalufutebol ao vivofutemaxmulticanaisonbethttps://bsport.fithttps://onbet88.ooohttps://i9bet.bizhttps://hi88.ooohttps://okvip.athttps://f8bet.athttps://fb88.cashhttps://vn88.cashhttps://shbet.atbóng đá world cupbóng đá inter milantin juventusbenzemala ligaclb leicester cityMUman citymessi lionelsalahnapolineymarpsgronaldoserie atottenhamvalenciaAS ROMALeverkusenac milanmbappenapolinewcastleaston villaliverpoolfa cupreal madridpremier leagueAjaxbao bong da247EPLbarcelonabournemouthaff cupasean footballbên lề sân cỏbáo bóng đá mớibóng đá cúp thế giớitin bóng đá ViệtUEFAbáo bóng đá việt namHuyền thoại bóng đágiải ngoại hạng anhSeagametap chi bong da the gioitin bong da lutrận đấu hôm nayviệt nam bóng đátin nong bong daBóng đá nữthể thao 7m24h bóng đábóng đá hôm naythe thao ngoai hang anhtin nhanh bóng đáphòng thay đồ bóng đábóng đá phủikèo nhà cái onbetbóng đá lu 2thông tin phòng thay đồthe thao vuaapp đánh lô đềdudoanxosoxổ số giải đặc biệthôm nay xổ sốkèo đẹp hôm nayketquaxosokq xskqxsmnsoi cầu ba miềnsoi cau thong kesxkt hôm naythế giới xổ sốxổ số 24hxo.soxoso3mienxo so ba mienxoso dac bietxosodientoanxổ số dự đoánvé số chiều xổxoso ket quaxosokienthietxoso kq hôm nayxoso ktxổ số megaxổ số mới nhất hôm nayxoso truc tiepxoso ViệtSX3MIENxs dự đoánxs mien bac hom nayxs miên namxsmientrungxsmn thu 7con số may mắn hôm nayKQXS 3 miền Bắc Trung Nam Nhanhdự đoán xổ số 3 miềndò vé sốdu doan xo so hom nayket qua xo xoket qua xo so.vntrúng thưởng xo sokq xoso trực tiếpket qua xskqxs 247số miền nams0x0 mienbacxosobamien hôm naysố đẹp hôm naysố đẹp trực tuyếnnuôi số đẹpxo so hom quaxoso ketquaxstruc tiep hom nayxổ số kiến thiết trực tiếpxổ số kq hôm nayso xo kq trực tuyenkết quả xổ số miền bắc trực tiếpxo so miền namxổ số miền nam trực tiếptrực tiếp xổ số hôm nayket wa xsKQ XOSOxoso onlinexo so truc tiep hom nayxsttso mien bac trong ngàyKQXS3Msố so mien bacdu doan xo so onlinedu doan cau loxổ số kenokqxs vnKQXOSOKQXS hôm naytrực tiếp kết quả xổ số ba miềncap lo dep nhat hom naysoi cầu chuẩn hôm nayso ket qua xo soXem kết quả xổ số nhanh nhấtSX3MIENXSMB chủ nhậtKQXSMNkết quả mở giải trực tuyếnGiờ vàng chốt số OnlineĐánh Đề Con Gìdò số miền namdò vé số hôm nayso mo so debach thủ lô đẹp nhất hôm naycầu đề hôm naykết quả xổ số kiến thiết toàn quốccau dep 88xsmb rong bach kimket qua xs 2023dự đoán xổ số hàng ngàyBạch thủ đề miền BắcSoi Cầu MB thần tàisoi cau vip 247soi cầu tốtsoi cầu miễn phísoi cau mb vipxsmb hom nayxs vietlottxsmn hôm naycầu lô đẹpthống kê lô kép xổ số miền Bắcquay thử xsmnxổ số thần tàiQuay thử XSMTxổ số chiều nayxo so mien nam hom nayweb đánh lô đề trực tuyến uy tínKQXS hôm nayxsmb ngày hôm nayXSMT chủ nhậtxổ số Power 6/55KQXS A trúng roycao thủ chốt sốbảng xổ số đặc biệtsoi cầu 247 vipsoi cầu wap 666Soi cầu miễn phí 888 VIPSoi Cau Chuan MBđộc thủ desố miền bắcthần tài cho sốKết quả xổ số thần tàiXem trực tiếp xổ sốXIN SỐ THẦN TÀI THỔ ĐỊACầu lô số đẹplô đẹp vip 24hsoi cầu miễn phí 888xổ số kiến thiết chiều nayXSMN thứ 7 hàng tuầnKết quả Xổ số Hồ Chí Minhnhà cái xổ số Việt NamXổ Số Đại PhátXổ số mới nhất Hôm Nayso xo mb hom nayxxmb88quay thu mbXo so Minh ChinhXS Minh Ngọc trực tiếp hôm nayXSMN 88XSTDxs than taixổ số UY TIN NHẤTxs vietlott 88SOI CẦU SIÊU CHUẨNSoiCauVietlô đẹp hôm nay vipket qua so xo hom naykqxsmb 30 ngàydự đoán xổ số 3 miềnSoi cầu 3 càng chuẩn xácbạch thủ lônuoi lo chuanbắt lô chuẩn theo ngàykq xo-solô 3 càngnuôi lô đề siêu vipcầu Lô Xiên XSMBđề về bao nhiêuSoi cầu x3xổ số kiến thiết ngày hôm nayquay thử xsmttruc tiep kết quả sxmntrực tiếp miền bắckết quả xổ số chấm vnbảng xs đặc biệt năm 2023soi cau xsmbxổ số hà nội hôm naysxmtxsmt hôm nayxs truc tiep mbketqua xo so onlinekqxs onlinexo số hôm nayXS3MTin xs hôm nayxsmn thu2XSMN hom nayxổ số miền bắc trực tiếp hôm naySO XOxsmbsxmn hôm nay188betlink188 xo sosoi cầu vip 88lô tô việtsoi lô việtXS247xs ba miềnchốt lô đẹp nhất hôm naychốt số xsmbCHƠI LÔ TÔsoi cau mn hom naychốt lô chuẩndu doan sxmtdự đoán xổ số onlinerồng bạch kim chốt 3 càng miễn phí hôm naythống kê lô gan miền bắcdàn đề lôCầu Kèo Đặc Biệtchốt cầu may mắnkết quả xổ số miền bắc hômSoi cầu vàng 777thẻ bài onlinedu doan mn 888soi cầu miền nam vipsoi cầu mt vipdàn de hôm nay7 cao thủ chốt sốsoi cau mien phi 7777 cao thủ chốt số nức tiếng3 càng miền bắcrồng bạch kim 777dàn de bất bạion newsddxsmn188betw88w88789bettf88sin88suvipsunwintf88five8812betsv88vn88Top 10 nhà cái uy tínsky88iwinlucky88nhacaisin88oxbetm88vn88w88789betiwinf8betrio66rio66lucky88oxbetvn88188bet789betMay-88five88one88sin88bk88xbetoxbetMU88188BETSV88RIO66ONBET88188betM88M88SV88Jun-68Jun-88one88iwinv9betw388OXBETw388w388onbetonbetonbetonbet88onbet88onbet88onbet88onbetonbetonbetonbetqh88mu88Nhà cái uy tínpog79vp777vp777vipbetvipbetuk88uk88typhu88typhu88tk88tk88sm66sm66me88me888live8live8livesm66me88win798livesm66me88win79pog79pog79vp777vp777uk88uk88tk88tk88luck8luck8kingbet86kingbet86k188k188hr99hr99123b8xbetvnvipbetsv66zbettaisunwin-vntyphu88vn138vwinvwinvi68ee881xbetrio66zbetvn138i9betvipfi88clubcf68onbet88ee88typhu88onbetonbetkhuyenmai12bet-moblie12betmoblietaimienphi247vi68clupcf68clupvipbeti9betqh88onb123onbefsoi cầunổ hũbắn cáđá gàđá gàgame bàicasinosoi cầuxóc đĩagame bàigiải mã giấc mơbầu cuaslot gamecasinonổ hủdàn đềBắn cácasinodàn đềnổ hũtài xỉuslot gamecasinobắn cáđá gàgame bàithể thaogame bàisoi cầukqsssoi cầucờ tướngbắn cágame bàixóc đĩa开云体育开云体育开云体育乐鱼体育乐鱼体育乐鱼体育亚新体育亚新体育亚新体育爱游戏爱游戏爱游戏华体会华体会华体会IM体育IM体育沙巴体育沙巴体育PM体育PM体育AG尊龙AG尊龙AG尊龙AG百家乐AG百家乐AG百家乐AG真人AG真人<AG真人<皇冠体育皇冠体育PG电子PG电子万博体育万博体育KOK体育KOK体育欧宝体育江南体育江南体育江南体育半岛体育半岛体育半岛体育凯发娱乐凯发娱乐杏彩体育杏彩体育杏彩体育FB体育PM真人PM真人<米乐娱乐米乐娱乐天博体育天博体育开元棋牌开元棋牌j9九游会j9九游会开云体育AG百家乐AG百家乐AG真人AG真人爱游戏华体会华体会im体育kok体育开云体育开云体育开云体育乐鱼体育乐鱼体育欧宝体育ob体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育亚博体育开云体育开云体育棋牌棋牌沙巴体育买球平台新葡京娱乐开云体育mu88qh88
Share this:
Share this page via Email Share this page via Stumble Upon Share this page via Digg this Share this page via Facebook Share this page via Twitter