A Late Quartet (2012)

Members of a world-renowned string quartet struggle to stay together in the face of death, competing egos and insuppressible lust.

Director:

Yaron Zilberman

Writers:

Seth Grossman (screenplay), Yaron Zilberman (screenplay)

Stars:

Philip Seymour Hoffman, Christopher Walken, Catherine Keener

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Catherine Keener	...	Juliette Gelbart
Christopher Walken	...	Peter Mitchell
Philip Seymour Hoffman	...	Robert Gelbart
Mark Ivanir	...	Daniel Lerner
Imogen Poots	...	Alexandra Gelbart
Madhur Jaffrey	...	Dr. Nadir
Liraz Charhi	...	Pilar
Wallace Shawn	...	Gideon Rosen
Pamela Quinn	...	Parkinson's Class Instructor
Brooklyn Parkinson Group	...	Parkinson's Class Participants
Cristian Puig	...	Flamenco Guitarist
Rebeca Tomas	...	Flamenco Dancer
Megan McQuillan	...	Sotheby's Executive
David Redden	...	Auctioneer
Ted Hartley	...	Winning Bidder

Storyline

After a classical string quartet's 25 years of success, Peter, the cellist and oldest member, decides that he must retire when he learns he has Parkinson's Disease. For the others, that announcement proves a catalyst for letting their hidden resentments come to the surface while the married members' daughter has disruptive desires of her own. All this threatens to tear the group apart even as they are famous for playing Beethoven's String Quartet No. 14, opus 131, a piece that is played non-stop no matter how life interferes.

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Plot Keywords:

string quartet | cellist | parkinson's disease | f rated | reference to ludwig van beethoven | 

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Taglines:

No arrangement is more beautiful...or more complicated.

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Genres:

Drama | Music

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some sexuality

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [Japan]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 November 2012 (Canada)

Also Known As:

A búcsúkoncert

Filming Locations:

Metropolitan Museum of Art, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$75,279, 4 November 2012, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$1,561,577, 10 March 2013

Company Credits

Production Co:

Opening Night Productions, Concept Entertainment, Unison Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sotheby's David Redden appears as the auctioneer in the film's auction scene.

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Goofs

While the quartet is assembling to practice in the beginning of the movie, Daniel is asked to give a first violinist a listen, Daniel says he will. He looks to Juliette, who agrees that's a good idea. She is shown with her bow at waist height, but in the next shot she is holding it in front of her face.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Peter Mitchell: Time present and time past are both perhaps present in time future, and time future contained in time past. If all time is eternally present, all time is unredeemable. Or say that the end precedes the beginning, and the end and the beginning were always there before the beginning and after the end. And all is always now.

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Connections

Referenced in Umi yori mo mada fukaku (2016)

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Soundtracks

Cello Suite No.4, Prelude and Allemande
Written by Johann Sebastian Bach
Performed by Nina Lee

User Reviews

Superior Acting in Supporting Roles

I watched this movie out of appreciation for Hoffman. So glad I did. Independent films such as this one have really begin to open my eyes to another world of cinema.

It's always great to see new faces and uncover some true talent, like Mark Ivanir. I only saw him in the Good Shepherd, but this performance will remain with me for some time. He seemed very attached to his role.

I recommend this movie to anyone who has a growing interest in classical music. It definitely furthered my interest. Listening to Chopin as I write this. :)

Be warned, the plot seemed slow and at is some times difficult to relate to. However, still a very good movie to open your mind to.