Review of Youth Without Youth (2007) by Drew S — 23 Jun 2008

This is an interesting film and it is good to see Coppola making films again. I really like the technical and acting elements of the film and I think they are the strongest parts of the film. The cinematography is beautiful and stirring, the music while not always fitting draws me into the film.

There was great acting performances from Tim Roth and Alexandra Maria Lara. I did also like Bruno Ganz and Matt Damon in their small respective parts. Sadly, though I think the downfall of the film is Coppola's writing and translation of this story to screen.

I like the themes that are explored yet in the execution of them, Coppola seems to muddy the waters of understanding. I feel like I "understood" most of the film, but that is the thing, it is hard to know.

The translation to screen seems confusing and hard to follow at times. Also, it seems to be a film that espouses deep truth, but it seems to stop short of that goal. Maybe these are specific issues with the Mircea Eliade novella, but I haven't read it.

Finally, that is the last problem with the film, unless you are an absolute intellectual genius or you are extensively knowledgeable of the novella or Eliade's other writings, then it is hard to know for sure what the film really is about to its full extent.

So I like parts of the film, but as a whole it is an interesting and thought-provoking cinematic failure. I feel like that Coppola may be off his cinematic game and maybe he needed to get his feet wet so that he can start making great films again.

I'm holding out for Tetro, I'm hoping it will at the very least be a bit more of a step above this.