Review of Elegy (2008) by 2Morovian — 30 Dec 2018

It's hard not to like a film with Ben Kingsley and Penelope Cruz in it. Peering into the troubled lives of New York intellectuals and the petty problems they create for themselves can be a little trying, along with all the narcissism they can afford to support, but this film actually grabbed me on a deeper level than I anticipated.

Kingsley is such a master of demonstrating complex individuals in all of their dimensions with such precision, authenticity and timing. I loved, hated and had great compassion for the character he was portraying because of his ability to draw me in on such an intimate level.

..as if I was in the film with him. Cruz, Cruz' breasts, Hopper and Clarkson were every bit as compelling and masterful in their deliveries, so the experience of this film was quite rich at every juncture.

Then you realize that the film itself is eerily similar to Kingsley's real life drama and you wonder if he was chosen for the role because of this. This adds a peculiar, haunting twist (if you happen to know about him).

..the success, the narcissism, the insecurity, the serial tempestuous relationships and marriages with women half his age.