By Pete Hammond
Story
In a screen adaptation of the Philip Roth novella
The Dying Animal, this highly charged sexual drama comes to the fore as its central character wraps himself around a dangerous, life-changing relationship. David Kepesh (
Ben Kingsley) is an engaging, very successful professor whose personal life he closely controls--never letting commitment get in the way and keeping the women in his life at arm’s distance. Although he can go on
The Charlie Rose Show and charm with the best of them, his emotional needs have remained hidden to him--that is, until a gorgeous young student, Consuela Castillo (
Penelope Cruz), enters his classroom and rocks his tightly monitored world. Suddenly everything he thought he knew about his own human nature and longings are thrown out the window. He becomes obsessively involved with the much younger Consuela--SO obsessive, in fact, that his jealousy and possessiveness take their toll and eventually drive her away. Drowning his sorrows in other personal matters, he will discover that this relationship is not quite over, and the woman who haunts his dreams is going to come back into his life with an urgency neither one could possibly have imagined.
Acting
Kingsley, an Oscar winner over a quarter of a century ago for
Gandhi, has perhaps his richest role since then as professor Kepesh, a man overwhelmed by desire he never knew he was capable of. It’s certainly unusual, and definitely refreshing to see an actor who is just hitting retirement age get such a full-bodied and sexual role. Let’s face it
Kingsley is no Brad Pitt, but he certainly represents a group of men who are still in the game and even just discovering their full romantic potential in the autumn of life. Of course, what red blooded American male wouldn’t fall hook, line and sinker for the rapturous
Cruz. Her Consuela is a woman in complete charge of her being--until events out of her control bring out the vulnerability. Without revealing plot spoilers, there are two distinct parts to this complicated and fascinating performance, and
Cruz effortlessly nails both. The supporting cast is also top notch, with
Patricia Clarkson a particular standout as Carolyn, the professor’s long-time lover, who finds her mutually convenient affair threatened for the first time. There’s also Dennis Hopper, as a distinguished poet and David’s good friend;
Deborah Harry as Hopper’s long-suffering wife; and
Peter Sarsgaard as the prof’s distant son are all fine in the exceptionally well-cast film.
Direction
Spanish director
Isabel Coixet (
My Life Without Me) brings an intimacy and strong woman’s touch to a story that might have had a different spin if directed by a man. After all, how many Hollywood films have we seen with 60 and 70 year-old male stars cast opposite much younger actresses that fail to examine the irony of those pairings? This relationship is shown, warts and all, in a much more emotionally complicated way than most films dare. Emphasis on
Clarkson’s spurned lover also adds a nice touch, and we can completely empathize with this smart, sexually alive woman, whose main sin is her age similarity with the man she has slept with, hassle free, for over 20 years. A major studio would never touch a story like this that deals with the sexual proclivities of mature adults unless it had something to do with Batman and Catwoman. We can thank
Coixet’s sharply detailed work behind the camera, particularly in intimate bedroom conversations, and a smart adaptation by Nicholas Meyer, which gets right to the heart of Roth’s ultimately heartbreaking story. Those expecting something along the raunchy lines of the aging author’s
Portnoy’s Complaint will be in for a surprise with this independently made, contemplative, beautifully crafted and acted romantic drama. Finally, a film for grown ups.