Directed by:
Agnieszka HollandCinematography:
Ashley RoweCast:
Ed Harris, Diane Kruger, Matthew Goode, Ralph Riach, Phyllida Law, Joe Anderson, Angus Barnett, Nicholas Jones, Bill Stewart, Matyelok Gibbs, Viktoria Dihen (more)Plots(1)
When young Anna Holz (Kruger), a Viennese music student is asked to transcribe scoring notes for the great Ludwig van Beethoven (Harris), she eagerly accepts, despite warnings about his volatile behavior. Part maestro, part mentor and part madman, Beethoven reluctantly relies on Anna to help him realize the culmination of his art. As her work of copying down the music of Beethoven proceeds, Anna is drawn into the maestro's tortured and inspired world. She sees their collaboration as a God-sent opportunity to prove her own talent as a composer; he glimpses in her a pure soul who might help him realize the culmination of his art - the creation of the last string quartets, the most sublime and spiritual music ever written. (official distributor synopsis)
(more)Reviews (2)
A not very well acted and quite conventionally directed borefest, which is watchable (actually more like listenable) only because of the music. Cinematically, however, it is completely uninteresting.
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Spoilers - - - It is an art to make such an unassuming film with a radiant Diane and a perfect Harris. The script showcases all possible detours, the dialogues flow very unconvincingly, and the composer rages like a madman, but even after almost an hour, I couldn't find a way to connect with it. The same goes for Anna - she can be delicate, tender, talented, but the reason why she lets herself be tormented by her idol is unclear for even a moment. In such a banally constructed conflict between Beethoven and his nephew, based on comparing the desire for absolute art and the simplest twists and turns of ordinary people's lives, I can't understand where suddenly the enchanting scene of conducting Ode to Joy came from, and even less why the suddenly deaf genius tells Anna that he needs her before it. Moreover, the hesitantly directing Agnieszka Holland tries new ideas, which in the overwhelming majority of cases don't work out, and even the trembling camera in the background of the magnificent tones was a crazy misstep. In addition, she doesn't follow the main principle of a director. A film must start grippingly and end with a strong conclusion. While the opening adheres to the best clichés of films set in past centuries (that is, poor people staring dumbly and looking extremely dirty), the ending almost completely borrows from Amadeus. With a significantly longer duration, I might understand how those two got so close to each other on a spiritual level. This way, I was left with a few beautiful bright moments during my groping in the dark. And in silence.
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