I don't know about you, but I am tired of being a trailer fool; i.e., one who expects a movie to be a reflection of the trailer. Having seen the trailer for "Beginners" a few times at the art cinema near us, I expected a poignant, funny, fast-paced slice-of-life movie about the advertised situation of a widower dad coming out of the closet at age 75. Not that strange an occurrence these days...I would think.
Well, poignant it was, with the gay dad played by Christopher Plummer stealing almost every scene. He is a master of his art. I have seen most everything Ewan MacGregor has been in and always enjoy his work, and he was fine, but since his part was written in such a joyless manner, he did not matter.
The "romance" and the scenes of he and the Melanie Laurent character were nothing less than excruciating, whereas the scenes involving the gay life were terrific; while there was no love noted between the heteros, there was plenty for the gays. A special mention to Goran Visnjic as Andy, Plummer's gay lover: he was brilliant in this nuanced role.
Well, you might say, you gave this film a "4" yet you sound like you enjoyed it--what gives? Two things: the Ewan-Melanie interludes were long and extremely boring, and the trailer set me up for a comedy and I do not like being misled.
Well, poignant it was, with the gay dad played by Christopher Plummer stealing almost every scene. He is a master of his art. I have seen most everything Ewan MacGregor has been in and always enjoy his work, and he was fine, but since his part was written in such a joyless manner, he did not matter.
The "romance" and the scenes of he and the Melanie Laurent character were nothing less than excruciating, whereas the scenes involving the gay life were terrific; while there was no love noted between the heteros, there was plenty for the gays. A special mention to Goran Visnjic as Andy, Plummer's gay lover: he was brilliant in this nuanced role.
Well, you might say, you gave this film a "4" yet you sound like you enjoyed it--what gives? Two things: the Ewan-Melanie interludes were long and extremely boring, and the trailer set me up for a comedy and I do not like being misled.