This movie is well produced, well acted, well photographed and edited, and well directed; as you would expect from the information about it, as supplied here.
Unfortunately, the story's banality is saved from summary ridicule by me, only because of the offered carrot: the Nobel Prize Ceremony. But the plot is so predictable, there are no surprises, in my opinion. None. At. All.
In short: the story is of a married couple (Close, Pryce), both of whom are writers. They have a rebellious son (Irons) - also a budding writer - and a dutiful daughter, who is pregnant and close to term. The husband is a literary professor of high standing; the wife was one of his literature students before they married. In the first few minutes, we learn the husband will be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. We also soon learn that the husband is a womanizer from way back: it's how they got married in the first place, again as you quickly learn.
The three travel to Stockholm for the Nobel ceremony. While there, the wife meets a literary hack (Slater) - a biographer - who wants permission to write the husband's biography and suggests there is a dramatic revelation in the offing. Subsequently, the wife evades the issue and the man. The Nobel ceremony is held, the husband gets the medal, there is a emotionally dramatic confrontation between the husband and wife back at the hotel, followed by the equally dramatic denouement. End of story.
I leave you to discover the nature of that climax. So, watch and listen carefully for the clues.
Without knowing the other nominees for that year's Academy Award, I can't comment upon Glenn Close's nomination for Best Actress; suffice to say she did a good job in a clichéd, boring story. Jonathon Pryce and the rest of the cast were suitably professional.
Candidly, if you're interested, as I was, in finding out a bit about the Nobel Prize Awards Ceremony, then this outing is actually worth your time. Hence, recommended only for those so interested.
Five out of ten. Barely.
August 13, 2019
Unfortunately, the story's banality is saved from summary ridicule by me, only because of the offered carrot: the Nobel Prize Ceremony. But the plot is so predictable, there are no surprises, in my opinion. None. At. All.
In short: the story is of a married couple (Close, Pryce), both of whom are writers. They have a rebellious son (Irons) - also a budding writer - and a dutiful daughter, who is pregnant and close to term. The husband is a literary professor of high standing; the wife was one of his literature students before they married. In the first few minutes, we learn the husband will be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. We also soon learn that the husband is a womanizer from way back: it's how they got married in the first place, again as you quickly learn.
The three travel to Stockholm for the Nobel ceremony. While there, the wife meets a literary hack (Slater) - a biographer - who wants permission to write the husband's biography and suggests there is a dramatic revelation in the offing. Subsequently, the wife evades the issue and the man. The Nobel ceremony is held, the husband gets the medal, there is a emotionally dramatic confrontation between the husband and wife back at the hotel, followed by the equally dramatic denouement. End of story.
I leave you to discover the nature of that climax. So, watch and listen carefully for the clues.
Without knowing the other nominees for that year's Academy Award, I can't comment upon Glenn Close's nomination for Best Actress; suffice to say she did a good job in a clichéd, boring story. Jonathon Pryce and the rest of the cast were suitably professional.
Candidly, if you're interested, as I was, in finding out a bit about the Nobel Prize Awards Ceremony, then this outing is actually worth your time. Hence, recommended only for those so interested.
Five out of ten. Barely.
August 13, 2019