Youth
Starring: Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel, Rachel Weisz
Written and directed by Paolo Sorrentino
124 minutes MA15+
Written and directed by Paolo Sorrentino
124 minutes MA15+
How often do you have an idea of what a film will be when
you go to see it only to leave at the end of it saying ‘wow that wasn’t what I
was expecting?’ For me it happens pretty rarely and often it’s disappointment
expecting more.
I thought Paolo Sorrentino’s ‘Youth’ was going to be a rather cosy (in the British film
tradition)story about two senior blokes looking back on their lives through
reminiscence or a pivot point and either yearning for their youth or being
thankful it was behind them. Added to this it would be set in a beautiful Swiss
setting to add to the ‘gosh gee’ warm and fuzziness. I was up for all that.
It doesn’t take too long before you realise ‘Youth’ is quite
different from my expectations. It certainly is set in the most divine setting
in the foot of the Swiss Alps and a luxury hotel/health resort. There are
numerous nude bodies, languid visual ‘breaths’ which are tender and sublime
reminding us that we sometimes do just sit or walk or step out of water and
those moments are nothing more (or less) than taking a breath between the next
moment (or life stage). Sex is alluded to and talked about as are prostate
problems. Ah life lived.
Michael Caine brings a real honesty to his role of Fred a
composer and conductor who is still grieving for his ailing, institutionalised
muse and wife. Caine (not unlike Helen Mirren) can often impose himself on a
character rather than inhabit it, can often be ‘bigger’ than the role but in
this one he nails it. He is natural, a perfect fit, believable and as I said
truthful. He is matched nicely by Harvey Keitel (can he really be 80?)as Mick,a
film director working on what he sees as his ‘testament’ movie with young
acolytes hovering around. He works well in the role and is believable as the
character plus a great foil in the sparring matches with Caine. Rachel Weisz
completes the leads as Caine’s feisty, conflicted and somewhat tiresome
daughter. Whilst her character is a bit whiny Weisz shows once again she is one
of the best of her generation.
Jane Fonda drops in for a cameo as the Diva Mick wants for
his film. Her characterisation as the over made up, testy and demanding actress
is terrific and mesmeric. Sadly the interaction in the key scene between her
and Keitel is almost awful. There is zero chemistry between the two. Yet it is
beautifully shot, the close ups are fantastic in what they portray and both
actors do a good job with their lines (Keitel somewhat less than Fonda, he
seems to be stagey and effected against her naturalism and bite. Out of whack
with what he does in the rest of the film), but overall that scene is marred by
the mismatch.
In the end we have a film about the two men making decisions
about the rest of their limited days whilst reflecting on where they have been
and how they got to ‘today’. All around them there are reminders of youth and
what that means, the pitfalls, the pain and the joys. The pointless
frustrations and the meaningless upsets, the exaggerated dramas and the energy
wasting paybacks. It reminds us that the important thing is often to just get
on with it and never forget the music in the air, the beauty in the smallest
things and the glory of friendship and shared experience.
It did surprise me but it did not disappoint me. It made me laugh at times, gasp at others and ponder much. I loved it.
4 out of 5
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