Review of The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004) by Johnny T — 26 Feb 2012

A great impressionistic piece about an actor's fantasy becoming their reality. Director Hopkins really makes an exciting leap of faith. In a brilliant portrayal by Geoffrey Rush, we are given a glimpse of the absurd, extravagant, surreal, lonely, tragic life of a comic genius. A splendid near-final scene showing Sellers hallucinating through the bright, circular light of the operating theatre, when all his characters surround him. We are never sure whether they are taunting him, comforting him, keeping him company or just watching him. But we do know that Sellers is a lonely man who does not handle choices well. The Life And Death of Peter Sellers is well worth seeing - on every count. Not the least being as an insightful homage to an artist like no other. And Rush delivers a staggering performance Even though Sellers is an unsympathetic character, we're mesmerised by his troubled complexity, especially as he ends up playing everyone in his life. Surrounding characters are small but strong, and very well-played. This is a funny, romantic and ultimately tragic story that feels a little stretched and episodic. It's clever enough to let the characters grow on us, but only if we know them to begin with.

VERDICT: "High-Quality Stuff" - [Positive Reaction] This is a rating to a movie I view as very entertaining and well made, and definitely worth paying the full price at a theatre to see or own on DVD. It is not perfect, but it is definitely excellent. (Films that are rated 3.5 or 4 stars).