For Andrew, I saw James Ivory's Room with a View. I knew of it, but not very well apart from a few names in its very British cast. Once I started watching it, I sensed it would be about romance (since that's what most British period pieces are about), and guess what? I was right.
That doesn't mean I didn't like it. I thought it was quite good. It's just I want to find a period piece where love and romance aren't the main themes. (I did find that in Topsy-Turvy however.)
One thing I did like about the film was the acting. Of the prolific names, my favorite performances came from Daniel Day-Lewis and Maggie Smith. Day-Lewis possesses an arrogant air underneath a refined persona, something not many actors can do in a low key. (Most actors would ham it up like it's nobody's business.) Smith on the other hand shows a quieter side to human behavior. There's a reason for why they're both two-time Oscar winners; they're good at what they do.
All in all, I liked Room with a View. I probably would have loved it had the pacing been a little faster. The acting is the focal point of the film (at least in my eyes). Also, Andrew, I do wish you would watch more contemporary-set British films.
My Rating: ****1/2
I'm confused, you're looking for a period piece without romance? There are tons of those (off the top of my head - An Education, Gosford Park, The The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Amadeus, Places in the Heart).
ReplyDeleteI suppose I'm confused, ultimately, that a film you have at least a significant bugbear with earns only 1/2 a star less than a perfect score.