The film centers around 80 something composer/conductor Fred Ballinger (Michael Caine). He is at an Alps resort spa with his daughter Lena (Rachel Weisz) and long time friend and director Mick Boyle (Harvey Keitel). Fred is retired and has refused to conduct for the Queen. Mick is with a group of writers as they are attempting to come up with a script for "Life's Last Day" and spend their time attempting to compose final death bed endings for the film. There are a number of minor subplots and players at the resort so you can create whatever theme or metaphor you desire for the film.
The film was very artsy and theme driven. It appeared to focus on dreams and desires which are best left to youth, but I am sure one could get the opposite meaning. The film has a lot of good lines that appear that they tie things together, but then fall short.
"I have to believe everything to make things up." "Human beings know how to be pathetic when they try." "Emotions are overrated" contradicted by "Emotions is all we have." "I know you can't levitate."
Rachel Weisz has a soliloquy where she nails it, but I wasn't sure what she nailed. Paloma Faith plays herself as an oversexed pop star. Madalina Diana Ghenea gets naked, which seems to be an odd sell point for an artsy film, but then again so did Michael Caine, and now I am blind.
One thing I can say for certain is this is not a formula film. It is a series of scenes, many of which are isolated with no real connection to the main plot.
People come to the spa to find themselves, realize their desires, and maybe make their dreams come true...
The film was very artsy and theme driven. It appeared to focus on dreams and desires which are best left to youth, but I am sure one could get the opposite meaning. The film has a lot of good lines that appear that they tie things together, but then fall short.
"I have to believe everything to make things up." "Human beings know how to be pathetic when they try." "Emotions are overrated" contradicted by "Emotions is all we have." "I know you can't levitate."
Rachel Weisz has a soliloquy where she nails it, but I wasn't sure what she nailed. Paloma Faith plays herself as an oversexed pop star. Madalina Diana Ghenea gets naked, which seems to be an odd sell point for an artsy film, but then again so did Michael Caine, and now I am blind.
One thing I can say for certain is this is not a formula film. It is a series of scenes, many of which are isolated with no real connection to the main plot.
People come to the spa to find themselves, realize their desires, and maybe make their dreams come true...