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Venus By Harry Forbes Catholic News Service NEW YORK (CNS) -- "Venus" (Miramax) is a mostly downbeat London-based story about Maurice (Peter O'Toole), an aging actor, and his unhealthy obsession with Jessie, a lower-class young woman (Jodie Whittaker) working as caregiver to his best friend, her great-uncle Ian (Leslie Phillips), a fellow thespian who loathes the sullen and unkempt girl at first sight. Maurice wants to educate and inspire Jessie, and he does, in fact, take her for first-time outings to the theater, museum and beach, and tries to instill a love of Shakespeare. At the same time, he presses her to let him touch her in a sensual -- if not overtly sexual -- way. There are also several generous (on his part) shopping expeditions. At one point, he offers to buy Jessie a becoming dress, but at the checkout counter, he confesses that he doesn't have enough money to pay for it, one of several scenes where character motivation is puzzling. Near the end, for instance, Ian unaccountably accuses Maurice of "degrading" his grandniece after he seemed perfectly aware of Maurice's actions all along. He also gets her a job as an artist's model where she must pose in the nude (with Maurice gleefully spying on her). To placate her, he takes her to the National Gallery to look at the Rokeby Venus of Velasquez, henceforth calling her by that moniker. Jessie gradually responds to Maurice's kindnesses, as she partly tolerates his amorous attentions, but she eventually falls for a tattooed young thug with predictably nasty results. On the plus side, writer Hanif Kureishi's screenplay -- directed by Roger Michell -- has a number of positive aspects and more than a few tender moments. And as you might expect, there are accomplished performances by a fine English cast, including Vanessa Redgrave as Valerie, Maurice's ex-wife, and Richard Griffiths as Donald, one of the men's cronies at the local cafe. There's no denying this is one of the very best of O'Toole's latter-day performances, while Whittaker, despite her character's initial off-putting appearance and unpleasant mien, convincingly blossoms as the film progresses. Still, despite an ending involving forgiveness and redemption, the fetishistic nature of the central relationship (Maurice's interest in Jessie is as much carnal as paternal), the high quotient of bad language (would these Shakespeare-quoting old codgers really salt their conversations with the "f" word -- and worse, so liberally?), and overall grubby milieu regrettably push the film into the objectionable category. The film contains pervasive rough and crude language and profanity, alcohol and tobacco use, abortion reference, premarital sex, upper and rear female nudity, unpleasantly specific medical references and imagery, and some violence. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is O -- morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. - - - Forbes is director of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. More reviews are available online at www.usccb.org/movies. END Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed. CNS · 3211 Fourth St NE · Washington DC 20017 · 202.541.3250 |
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