If you are looking for a movie with a lot of action and witty dialogue, then this movie is not for you. It is a simple story about a simple man as he looks into the future and realizes his own mortality and then thinks back to his long, and what he believes, is not that eventful of a life, even though he is a sought-after lecturer in his 80s. But the audience, and Max does realize that he did have an eventful life after all. The movie does move along slowly, but there is enough interest going on with all the characters that keep popping in and out to keep your interest. Our protagonist, Max, is an 80-year-old author out on a lecture circuit, and along the way to each lecture he's formulating in his mind a story, which he finally writes down, and a story we find out at the end of the movie he began to write at the beginning of the movie, if not before. So while we are watching the movie, especially the scenes where it is obvious he is in Florida, or has a different haircut, or even a different name, we know it's part of this continuing story. It all comes together at the end of the movie. Tausig as Max is perfect. Perlman as his current lady friend (but is that also part of his story?) finally showed me that she is a capable actress. Pena, as usual, is spot on. This is one of those movies AARP would recommend, as I do not think anyone under the age of 50 is really going to get it. Or maybe some will. This is also a movie not to be over-analyzed. And the music, well, I want a recording, and the sheet music! Some of the best ever.
6 Reviews
An elderly writer merges his real life into some of his stories.
ltlacey25 February 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Are there two versions?
hdavis-2924 March 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I've watched this movie twice before I dared comment. I'm beginning to wonder if there are two versions of it floating around. The one I've seen both times centers on a little nebishy 80 year old guy named Max, who blunders somewhat ineffectually through life, while attractive younger women (not young, just younger than he) who seem to find him irresistible. Barbara Hershey is gorgeous, the Latina maid, the widow, Ethel. What the hell do they SEE in this old man? He's no great wit or charmer and he sure ain't good looking. So there's this credibility gap right at the core of the film. It's a nice fantasy to have - that when you reach a certain age, women will flock to you simply because you're alive and (presumably) available. But it undermines the film. This probably worked better as a book, allowing the reader to cast the various roles.
Maybe this was a great story and it's just the casting that undermines it. In any case, the pacing and understated style will make this film toxic for anyone under 50.
Maybe this was a great story and it's just the casting that undermines it. In any case, the pacing and understated style will make this film toxic for anyone under 50.
Max and his women
jotix1001 August 2011
Warning: Spoilers
A college professor Max, is at the center of this film which is based on three short stories by Nobel winner Isaac Bashevis Singer. It is a tender account of a man, who even at the end of his life, is the center of attraction for some women in his life.
We follow Max Kohn as he is going to give a lecture at a college. Max is old fashioned, loving to travel by train. His live-in girlfriend, Reisel, is protective of him. Max observes a young woman traveling in his compartment, although they never speaks, she is mysteriously involved in a subsequent meeting with a woman in Florida. The train brings back memories of a time gone by. Max meets one of the women in his life, Rosalie. They had quarreled about Kafka, something she brings up again.
Max elicits something in women like no other men in his age bracket. The next story shows him arriving to his next destination and because of a confusion, he ends up in a cheap hotel, where the manager, a Sikh man, is rude to Max. His encounter with a hotel maid is not to be believed, for this older man can drive women nuts.
The final segment shows a different character, Harry Bendinger, an old Jewish man now retired in Florida. His next door neighbor, Ethel, invites him to come over her apartment. In the course of their conversation, Ethel mentions her daughter, who happens to be the young woman we saw on the train. Harry having gone through an operation for prostrate cancer is at a loss, but as a nurse reminds him, there are other ways to please a lady.
Jan Schutte directed the film which he also adapted from three short stories by Bashevis Singer. The films shows fluidity in the first two segments, but takes a radical change in the last tale. The film is not exactly about love, but the perception of it. Otto Tausig, the Viennese actor, is basically the main reason for watching the film. The actor makes us believe he is no one but Max, and Harry.
The ladies in this man's life are played by Rhea Pearlman, who is Reisel, the protective New York girlfriend. Then there is Barbara Hershey, all passion about the way she had quarreled with Max over literary viewpoints. Elizabeth Pena is sensual as the maid, Esperanza. Tovah Feldush is wonderful with her Ethel. Olivia Thirlby is also seen as the daughter of Ethel.
We follow Max Kohn as he is going to give a lecture at a college. Max is old fashioned, loving to travel by train. His live-in girlfriend, Reisel, is protective of him. Max observes a young woman traveling in his compartment, although they never speaks, she is mysteriously involved in a subsequent meeting with a woman in Florida. The train brings back memories of a time gone by. Max meets one of the women in his life, Rosalie. They had quarreled about Kafka, something she brings up again.
Max elicits something in women like no other men in his age bracket. The next story shows him arriving to his next destination and because of a confusion, he ends up in a cheap hotel, where the manager, a Sikh man, is rude to Max. His encounter with a hotel maid is not to be believed, for this older man can drive women nuts.
The final segment shows a different character, Harry Bendinger, an old Jewish man now retired in Florida. His next door neighbor, Ethel, invites him to come over her apartment. In the course of their conversation, Ethel mentions her daughter, who happens to be the young woman we saw on the train. Harry having gone through an operation for prostrate cancer is at a loss, but as a nurse reminds him, there are other ways to please a lady.
Jan Schutte directed the film which he also adapted from three short stories by Bashevis Singer. The films shows fluidity in the first two segments, but takes a radical change in the last tale. The film is not exactly about love, but the perception of it. Otto Tausig, the Viennese actor, is basically the main reason for watching the film. The actor makes us believe he is no one but Max, and Harry.
The ladies in this man's life are played by Rhea Pearlman, who is Reisel, the protective New York girlfriend. Then there is Barbara Hershey, all passion about the way she had quarreled with Max over literary viewpoints. Elizabeth Pena is sensual as the maid, Esperanza. Tovah Feldush is wonderful with her Ethel. Olivia Thirlby is also seen as the daughter of Ethel.
A little too slow
ArizWldcat24 January 2008
This was one of our choices to see at Sundance this year, as it sounded like a charming story. It was a disappointment to us. The story moved quite slowly and meandered into strange dream sequences that were not far enough removed from the main character's real life to differentiate them from it. The main character was never quite sympathetic enough for me to care what happened to him, so this was a film that had me checking my watch quite often. It's only 90 minutes or so long, but it felt much, much longer. This was not one I would recommend.
Apparently, I must continue as the above comment is not long enough. Feel free to skip this part.
Apparently, I must continue as the above comment is not long enough. Feel free to skip this part.
Love Comes Lately-Walk Away, the Sooner the Better *
edwagreen13 March 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Very depressing film where holocaust survivor and writer, Max Kohn pursues his life while lecturing about his writings and literally living out these writings.
Max has quite an imagination with long-suffering girlfriend Rhea Perlman and others. His escapades in Florida are interesting but a little too much to take.
The last episode where he recounts a short story with Ethel, the recently widowed lady, who bought into his Florida condo to get away from memories of her recently dead husband and her rheumatism from N.Y. are outrageous at best. Ethel comes on quickly and suddenly withdraws. Her dive out the window isn't exactly James Mason in "A Star is Born."
Come on, we're supposed to be seeing Jewish ladies running after the widowers with chicken soup in Florida, not anything like this. We know the man is unhappy but seeing men dropping dead at hotels, a shooting at a house, a Spanish maid trying to make it with our culprit, is way above the realm of human understanding and expectation.
Max, you're a hopelessly dull, sad person. All your endings don't have to be sad ones. Otherwise, why were we all put on this earth?
Max has quite an imagination with long-suffering girlfriend Rhea Perlman and others. His escapades in Florida are interesting but a little too much to take.
The last episode where he recounts a short story with Ethel, the recently widowed lady, who bought into his Florida condo to get away from memories of her recently dead husband and her rheumatism from N.Y. are outrageous at best. Ethel comes on quickly and suddenly withdraws. Her dive out the window isn't exactly James Mason in "A Star is Born."
Come on, we're supposed to be seeing Jewish ladies running after the widowers with chicken soup in Florida, not anything like this. We know the man is unhappy but seeing men dropping dead at hotels, a shooting at a house, a Spanish maid trying to make it with our culprit, is way above the realm of human understanding and expectation.
Max, you're a hopelessly dull, sad person. All your endings don't have to be sad ones. Otherwise, why were we all put on this earth?
wonderful warm movie
js-1744 November 2008
We saw the film at the hamburg filmfest, it was lovely, warm and entertaining and gave a complete different idea about love and age. The main actor Otto Tausig is outstanding, very funny and charming. The story is based on three Isaak Bashevis Singer short stories and merges them very beautifully and organic into one script. The photography of the film is stunning, and it shows America in a different, maybe a little European light (the film has been shot in New York, New England, Florida and California). The music, composed by Henning Lohner from LA and Berlin, was great as well. . Really worthwhile seeing! Josef Sigmund, Hamburg
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