Review of The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004) by Ernie P — 17 Dec 2007
Given its subject, this should have been riveting viewing but instead was anything but. The sole highlight of the film was the performance of Geoffrey Rush, who is terrific in a multi-roled performance.
The rest of the cast, however, doesn't match up - Emily Watson doesn't have much to do, John Lithgow goes over the top, and Charlize Theron just isn't there. The "dream" sequences didn't work for me at all, but the biggest fault with this film is that it is so overwhelmingly negative in its depiction of Sellers as a person.
After watching this film, one could easily think that Sellers had no redeeming features as a human being whatsoever. A film this one-sided leads me to call its accuracy and research into question - a better approach would have included more positive sides of Sellers' character.
Otherwise, I think a film like this would tarnish the great comedic legacy that Sellers left behind with his untimely death. Why bother to make a film like this?
This review of The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004) was written by Ernie P on 17 Dec 2007.
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers has generally received positive reviews.
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