Smartorhypo Highly Overrated But Still Good

Lancoor A very feeble attempt at affirmatie action

Gurlyndrobb While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Phillipa Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

moonspinner55 Gaspingly pretentious portrait of characters at a resort hotel and spa in the Swiss Alps. Michael Caine is a British widower and retired symphony conductor--an annual guest at the spa for some 20 years--who refuses a request from an emissary of the Queen of England to conduct again for Prince Philip's birthday celebration. Caine's grown daughter is temporarily staying with him; she's distraught over her recent breakup with the son of another guest, screenwriter Harvey Keitel, an exercise-friend of Caine's who commiserates with him over their combined years and non-working body parts. Other guests include a rock-climbing instructor, a film actor, assorted child prodigies, a beauty contest winner, et al. Writer-director Paolo Sorrentino has a grandiose visual concept, which he makes clear within the film's first 10 minutes; however, his artistically-composed shots of naked, sagging bodies (usually slumped over in states of depression, inert in the steam rooms or floating aimlessly in the swimming pools) are not especially pointed or amusing. The shots call attention themselves, probably to distract the viewer from the lack of substance in the writing (or interest in the central characters). Caine, pinkish-white like a rabbit, seems to look out at the world with bleary eyes--but is this the character or simply the actor in bad physical shape? Keitel doesn't appear very spry either, but the worst is saved for Jane Fonda (in a bad blonde wig) as a jaded, foulmouthed actress just in from Los Angeles (she asks Keitel expository questions to set the scene: "How long have we known each other, Mick?"). "Youth" flatlines at the one-hour mark--with another 63 minutes on the clock. * from ****

John Doe Youth is a film that ironically would have been wasted on me when I was younger. My 20 year old self would have hated this film and probably switched it off after 15 minutes. So I can understand the mixed reviews this film gets. There is little or no action until the last 20 minutes, but for me the best parts were the quiet scenes with no action. There are many scenes where something is hinted at or insinuated. But nothing is ever spelled out for you. I was left thinking a lot about what I had just seen, trying to interpret what it meant or what was about to happen when the scene ended. Youth is beautifully shot, so if you're in the mood for a quiet film with gorgeous visuals and a dreamy soundtrack this is perfect. The plot, or more precisely the premise is about a group of people in a very picturesque holiday resort where everything looks heavenly and relaxing. They talk about life and old age etc. It sounds dull but for me those were the best parts. I only felt it lost its way towards the end, specifically at the moment Jane Fonda showed up. Even though she's very good in this (as is everyone else), her first scene is a long drawn out conversation with Harvey Keitel which shifts the mood of the piece completely. For the first time in the film I found myself bored because the scene dragged me out of the dreamlike mood that had gone before. After that the film trudged on to its finale but never recaptured the spirit of the first 90 minutes. But overall I recommend this film because it was unlike anything else I can recall seeing.

sol- Vacationing in this Swiss Alps with a film director friend, a retired music composer starts to reevaluate his life when asked by a messenger from the Queen of England to orchestrate one of his iconic works once more in this somewhat ironically titled film. Full of dreamy cutaways to the naked bodies of those staying at the same resort, as well as some near surreal nighttime shots, 'Youth' is a stylish film through and through and bits and pieces of the dialogue are pretty good, with an inspiration versus fermentation exchange standing out most. The story at hand is, however, far from encapsulating with the lethargic pacing eliminating any sense of urgency, and then there is the fact that Harvey Keitel's ageing filmmaker character is actually more interesting that Michael Caine's composer, though Paul Dano surprisingly enough trumps them both with a heartfelt turn as a film actor depressed over the fact that has been stereotyped ever since playing a single role in a film that he considers mediocre at best. He has two of the film's best scenes as he unsettles everyone by dressing as Hitler for breakfast one day and as he encounters a young girl who has actually seen one of his lesser known performances. Caine certainly has his own strong scenes (conducting a chorus of cows) but hardly that high an amount for a protagonist. With strong supporting turns from the likes of Rachel Weisz and Paloma Faith, amusingly playing herself, this is a hard film not to recommend, but it is certainly an example of movie that sounds much better on paper.

latinfineart I do not think it is possible I could have liked this film any more than I did. I was watching it for the second time. The first time I loved it. But, I did not understand what a masterpiece it was. It is absolutely pitch perfect. The direction of the film is stunning. Hollywood should take notice. Few films come out of Hollywood like this lovely gem. This was entirely directed and produced by Italians. It has a magical realist quality to it, and some of the cinematography was positively mind boggling. If you look at some of my other reviews, I am often tearing films apart. Most of the stuff that comes out of Hollywood these days leave me cold and unsatisfied. However, this film was written and shot for adults. I do not think the current crop of kids, that is fueling the boom in nonsensical action films, and comic reboots would get this film at all. Way, way too refined. Too much character development. Not enough action for the kiddies.There are some great scenes of the writers on Kietel's film, where they are brainstorming the script of the film they are writing. It is a wonderful irony, as the script of this film is a thing of beauty. This film centers around the characters of Michael Caine, and Harvey Kietel. Both very successful men. Caine a retired composer, and Kietel a movie director, nearing the end of his career. Wryly observing them closely, and striking up a friendship with Fred, is a movie star played by Paul Dano. The younger man is debating whether to escape his burdensome identification with a robot character in a sci-fi franchise with a drastic change of pace by playing Adolf Hitler in a movie. There is a wonderful scene where Miss Universe shows up and pays her respect to the Dano character. The dialogue is not at all what one would expect. Then Fred gets a visit from his disaffected daughter and personal assistant (Rachel Weisz). She's here to announce that her husband, Mick's feckless son (Ed Stoppard), has just dumped her for real-life rock star Paloma Faith, playing a parody of herself that stars like Mylie Cyrus, Brittany Spears, and many others would never be capable of. As in Sorrentino's 2013 foreign-language Oscar winner "The Great Beauty," the plot is less important than the characters and the opulent settings, which are populated with eccentric, magical characters in the background. This is a movie for adults. And this movie is a masterpiece. A simply stunning bit of filmmaking. Watch it with patience. Watch it with adoration. Watch it with respect. Watch it and yearn for the days when films of this caliber were more common.