A
Late Quartet is one of those gems of movies that you can be proud to introduce
to cultured friends with good taste. Although few are likely to have heard of
it, I found the acting and the drama to be comparable if not better than most
of the films nominated for awards this season. Philip Seymour Hoffman was
nominated for his performance in The Master, but I found him equally compelling
in A Late Quartet, even when the melodrama of the film pushed the boundaries
slightly.
The
film is about a perfect quartet, which is forced to change when the eldest
member and cellist (Christopher Walken) announces that he has a debilitating
medical condition which makes his career as a musician impossible. This news
sends shockwaves through the other three members of the group, which include
his daughter (Catherine Keener) and her husband (Hoffman). Each of them take he
news differently, with the famed first violinist (Mark Ivanir) taking the most
clinical approach to replacing a friend.
This
is a performance-based film, though this is not code for boring. I found myself
enthralled by the acting in this film, regardless of the fact that much of the
film is just four characters arguing and discussing music. The screenplay
obviously comes from a place of well researched understanding of classical
music, and those are the parts which stand out above all else. The Blu-ray
includes a solitary making-of featurette, though the film alone is a beautiful
accomplishment.
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