Director: Lasse Hallstrom
Stars: Heath Ledger, Sienna Miller, Jeremy Irons, Oliver Platt, Lena Olin, Charlie Cox, Omid Djalili
Year: 2005
Rating: R
Unfairly berated by many critics during its theatrical run, there's really a lot to love about Casanova. Heath Ledger's restrained comic performance, for one; he gives the legendary lover of women the perfect audacious, mischievous and scandalous air, playing young Casanova as a man always in control of his circumstances, even when at their most outrageous. It's another pointed reminder of just what was lost when Ledger died, although here you could tell he was still honing his incredible talent.
A terrific supporting cast that includes Jeremy Irons and an absolutely hilarious Oliver Platt are another reason to enjoy this tale. Set in Italy during the Inquisition, the film opens with an elderly Giacomo Casanova (whom we cannot fully see - just his withered hand writing across parchment) as he chronicles a time in the legendary lover's that few others know about: the time Casanova fell in love.
Then, going back, we see Casanova as a young boy, left by his mother to be cared for by another because she wanted him to have a better life growing up. Vowing to meet her son again in Venice, this promise is the focal point of young Casanova's moving to the city - where, as a young man, the film opens to find his reputation as a vagabond and ladies man is already in full swing. Indeed, an opening chase scene finds Casanova up to his usual tricks, barely outrunning the law as he rushes from yet another young maiden's bed.
But the Catholic Church is out to get Casanova and jail him for his many crimes/indiscretions - so under such pressure, the ardent lover proposes marriage to a beautiful young blond who happens to be the virginal daughter of a very wealthy (and very conservative) local man. The father, not knowing that he is dealing with Casanova (though his daughter does), eventually agrees, but only under the condition that no contact shall be had until the wedding night. At last, Casanova is on his way to respectability, and shedding the watchful eye of the church ...
That is, until he meets the beautiful, headstrong and completely independent Francesca (Sienna Miller). Not only does Francesca not know he is Casanova, but she actually despises the world-famous lover for turning women into nothing more than objects of desire and lust. Naturally, Casanova falls for the one women he cannot have, even surprising himself as those feelings really do into love ... but alas, Francesca's hand in marriage is already promised to wealthy landowner/businessman Paprizzio (Oliver Platt), whom she's never met but must marry, in order to save herself, her mother (Lena Olin) and her brother (Charlie Cox) from financial ruin. Paprizzio, due in Venice any day to claim his bride, presents a problem to Casanova's plan to woo Francesca - though not one he can't overcome, even if it means sidetracking Paprizzio as he hatches a rather complicated plan to get Francesca. Meanwhile, Francesca's brother Giovanni - who's long-ago fallen in love with the same woman Casanova is now engaged to, fights to get her attention away from marrying the great lover and love him instead.
Sounds complicated? It is, and gets more so - in a lighthearted, wonderfully comedic way that plays out like the farce the film is meant to be. Heath Ledger, seemingly too young to play the great Casanova, actually imbues him here with a lightness and energy that emphasizes that you are catching the man in his early, most roguish days. The look of the film, of Venice, is quite outstanding and beautiful, with period costumes that evoke the age nicely. Director Lasse Hallstrom, thankfully, never takes the material too seriously, allowing the actors to have fun with it; Jeremy Irons, in particular, hams it up a bit with the perfect mix of comedy and menace. My only complaint to the film, oddly enough, is Sienna Miller. To me, she never seemed to be comfortable in Francesca's skin, and for the first half of the film I actually found her character a bit annoying.
The ending has a very nice twist you don't see coming, and overall if you're prepared to NOT take this film as some serious biography of the greatest lover of all time, you should be pleased with the results. Casanova is a wonderful farce, containing a fine comedic performance by the late Heath Ledger that only further proves the range he had as an actor (and p.s. - Omid Djalili's performance as Casanova's best friend/manservant Lupo is nothing short of brilliant, as well). ***1/2 - Reel Cool-Reel Awesome
Stars: Heath Ledger, Sienna Miller, Jeremy Irons, Oliver Platt, Lena Olin, Charlie Cox, Omid Djalili
Year: 2005
Rating: R
Unfairly berated by many critics during its theatrical run, there's really a lot to love about Casanova. Heath Ledger's restrained comic performance, for one; he gives the legendary lover of women the perfect audacious, mischievous and scandalous air, playing young Casanova as a man always in control of his circumstances, even when at their most outrageous. It's another pointed reminder of just what was lost when Ledger died, although here you could tell he was still honing his incredible talent.
A terrific supporting cast that includes Jeremy Irons and an absolutely hilarious Oliver Platt are another reason to enjoy this tale. Set in Italy during the Inquisition, the film opens with an elderly Giacomo Casanova (whom we cannot fully see - just his withered hand writing across parchment) as he chronicles a time in the legendary lover's that few others know about: the time Casanova fell in love.
Then, going back, we see Casanova as a young boy, left by his mother to be cared for by another because she wanted him to have a better life growing up. Vowing to meet her son again in Venice, this promise is the focal point of young Casanova's moving to the city - where, as a young man, the film opens to find his reputation as a vagabond and ladies man is already in full swing. Indeed, an opening chase scene finds Casanova up to his usual tricks, barely outrunning the law as he rushes from yet another young maiden's bed.
But the Catholic Church is out to get Casanova and jail him for his many crimes/indiscretions - so under such pressure, the ardent lover proposes marriage to a beautiful young blond who happens to be the virginal daughter of a very wealthy (and very conservative) local man. The father, not knowing that he is dealing with Casanova (though his daughter does), eventually agrees, but only under the condition that no contact shall be had until the wedding night. At last, Casanova is on his way to respectability, and shedding the watchful eye of the church ...
That is, until he meets the beautiful, headstrong and completely independent Francesca (Sienna Miller). Not only does Francesca not know he is Casanova, but she actually despises the world-famous lover for turning women into nothing more than objects of desire and lust. Naturally, Casanova falls for the one women he cannot have, even surprising himself as those feelings really do into love ... but alas, Francesca's hand in marriage is already promised to wealthy landowner/businessman Paprizzio (Oliver Platt), whom she's never met but must marry, in order to save herself, her mother (Lena Olin) and her brother (Charlie Cox) from financial ruin. Paprizzio, due in Venice any day to claim his bride, presents a problem to Casanova's plan to woo Francesca - though not one he can't overcome, even if it means sidetracking Paprizzio as he hatches a rather complicated plan to get Francesca. Meanwhile, Francesca's brother Giovanni - who's long-ago fallen in love with the same woman Casanova is now engaged to, fights to get her attention away from marrying the great lover and love him instead.
Sounds complicated? It is, and gets more so - in a lighthearted, wonderfully comedic way that plays out like the farce the film is meant to be. Heath Ledger, seemingly too young to play the great Casanova, actually imbues him here with a lightness and energy that emphasizes that you are catching the man in his early, most roguish days. The look of the film, of Venice, is quite outstanding and beautiful, with period costumes that evoke the age nicely. Director Lasse Hallstrom, thankfully, never takes the material too seriously, allowing the actors to have fun with it; Jeremy Irons, in particular, hams it up a bit with the perfect mix of comedy and menace. My only complaint to the film, oddly enough, is Sienna Miller. To me, she never seemed to be comfortable in Francesca's skin, and for the first half of the film I actually found her character a bit annoying.
The ending has a very nice twist you don't see coming, and overall if you're prepared to NOT take this film as some serious biography of the greatest lover of all time, you should be pleased with the results. Casanova is a wonderful farce, containing a fine comedic performance by the late Heath Ledger that only further proves the range he had as an actor (and p.s. - Omid Djalili's performance as Casanova's best friend/manservant Lupo is nothing short of brilliant, as well). ***1/2 - Reel Cool-Reel Awesome
No comments:
Post a Comment