Elegy (I) (2008)

Cultural critic David Kepesh finds his life -- which he indicates is a state of "emancipated manhood" -- thrown into tragic disarray by Consuela Castillo, a well-mannered student who awakens a sense of sexual possessiveness in her teacher.

Director:

Isabel Coixet

Writers:

Nicholas Meyer (screenplay), Philip Roth (novel)

Stars:

Ben Kingsley, Penélope Cruz, Patricia Clarkson

3 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Penélope Cruz	...	Consuela Castillo
Ben Kingsley	...	David Kepesh
Dennis Hopper	...	George O'Hearn
Patricia Clarkson	...	Carolyn
Peter Sarsgaard	...	Kenny Kepesh
Deborah Harry	...	Amy O'Hearn
Charlie Rose	...	Charlie Rose
Antonio Cupo	...	Younger Man
Michelle Harrison	...	2nd Student
Sonja Bennett	...	Beth
Emily Holmes	...	1st Student
Chelah Horsdal	...	Susan Reese
Marci T. House	...	Administration Nurse
Alessandro Juliani	...	Actor #3 in Play
Tiffany Lyndall-Knight	...	Actor #2 in Play

Storyline

David Kepesh is growing old. He's a professor of literature, a student of American hedonism, and an amateur musician and photographer. When he finds a student attractive, Consuela, a 24-year-old Cuban, he sets out to seduce her. Along the way, he swims in deeper feelings, maybe he's drowning. She presses him to sort out what he wants from her, and a relationship develops. They talk of traveling. He confides in his friend, George, a poet long-married, who advises David to grow up and grow old. She invites him to meet her family. His own son, from a long-ended marriage, confronts him. Is the elegy for lost relationships, lost possibilities, beauty and time passing, or failure of nerve?

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Plot Keywords:

student | friend | photographer | cuban | professor | 

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Taglines:

Love Has No Boundaries

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

14A

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

18 April 2008 (Spain)

Also Known As:

Élégie - L'ulltime passion

Filming Locations:

Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$13,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$104,168 (USA) (8 August 2008)

Gross:

$3,577,210 (USA) (7 November 2008)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lakeshore Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

David tells Consuela that she looks like Goya's Maja Desnuda. Penélope Cruz (who plays Consuela) plays Pepita Tudó in Volavérunt (1999), possibly a model for the Maja Desnuda.

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Quotes

Consuela Castillo: Beautiful picture.
David Kepesh: Beautiful woman.

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Connections

References The Charlie Rose Show (1991)

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Soundtracks

Distant Rumor
Written and Performed by Scott Senn

User Reviews

Great performances, great film

I thoroughly enjoyed this film. As someone who is not familiar with Philip Roth's works, I found the story to be interesting and moving. What really made the movie so enjoyable to me was the focus on the interpersonal relationships between David Kepesh(Ben Kingsley) and several of the supporting players. For example, some of the film's most poignant moments came in the scenes featuring Kepesh and his best friend (played by Dennis Hopper.) While these scenes did not necessarily serve to move the plot along, they painted a picture of the daily struggles Kepesh faces and also the layers of his only true friendship. In addition, it was heart-wrenching to see Kepeshs' son (Peter Sarsgaard), now a 40-something man married with children, resorting to his father for advice and consolation. We found out that Kepesh left his son and wife many years past, and while his son has never truly forgiven his father, he finds himself committing similar mistakes (adultery) that lead his father to become the flawed, relationship-challenged man he is today. These complex relationships, in addition to several others in the film, allow us to closely examine this fascinating point in the life of David Kepesh.