Elegy oder die Kunst zu lieben (2008)

Elegy oder die Kunst zu lieben: Directed by Isabel Coixet. With Penélope Cruz, Ben Kingsley, Dennis Hopper, Patricia Clarkson. Cultural critic David Kepesh finds his life, which he indicates is a state of “emancipated manhood

“Everybody is allowed to do a job just for the money, I know that I do, but when it comes to the acting profession, I irrationally think that I expect a little bit more from our finest thespians. I donu0026#39;t know why. I just do. Take, for example, the actor Ben Kingsley.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBen Kingsley sometimes annoys the hell out of me. He is one of the best actors in the world, but sometimes plys his trade in the likes of films like u0026quot;Thunderbirdsu0026quot;, u0026quot;A Sound Of Thunderu0026quot; and u0026quot;The Love Guruu0026quot;. Such a waste. Such a shame. Thank God he occasionally realises how good he is and signs up for a movie as sublime as u0026quot;Elegyu0026quot;.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eu0026quot;Elegyu0026quot; is a great movie. Ben Kingsley is supreme in it. He plays David Kapesh, an expat British teacher and writer. Kapesh is selfish. He is a player and a commitment phobe, who takes and drops lovers at the drop of a hat. That is until he meets Penelope Cruzu0026#39;s Consuela Castillo, with whom he begins a pretty standard affair and, against all expectations, and much to his dismay, falls in love with her.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eu0026quot;Elegyu0026quot; has some seriously good, sure footed performances. Ben Kingsley is on Oscar worthy form. It is as different, but as good a performance, as his Oscar nominated turns in u0026quot;Sexy Beastu0026quot; and u0026quot;House Of Sand And Fogu0026quot;. Patrica Clarkson, as Kapeshu0026#39;s long standing mistress, defines hurt and betrayal, Penelope Cruz completely puts word to the lie of one daft critic who said that she simply cannot act in the English language, but the surprise here is Dennis Hopper: His performance as Kapeshu0026#39;s best friend is light years away from the eye rolling villain that he normally portrays to make a crust.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eu0026quot;Elegyu0026quot; is erotic, touching and beautiful. I think that it is a cracking movie and deserves a bigger audience.”