Review of Youth Without Youth (2007) by Michael M — 12 Nov 2008

Ah, there's nothing like a magnificent failure...

I wouldn't mind reading the script he took out to shoot, just to see if some connective tissue got lost along the way.

There's so much about this film that is gorgeous. Golijov's music is a real peak in modern film music. The design is also very strong. I just wish they'd clung to the central idea a bit more. The film is subtly diminished by the volume of ideas it tries to get through, to the point where it almost feels like pulp science fiction, but without a hint of a wink in the eye. Character motivation becomes very confused after a while - the only way we ever know Roth will do something is by seeing him do it.

Overall, a bit less than the sum of its parts and plot threads.