By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Jan Schütte
Starring: Barbara Hershey | Elizabeth Peña | Olivia Thirlby | Otto Tausig | Rhea Perlman | Tovah Feldshuh
Country: austria, germany, united_states
Year: 2007
Running time: 86
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0787500/
Bruce says: “Director Jan Schütte has combined three short stories by Isasac Bashevis Singer – ‘Alone,’ ‘The Briefcase,’ and ‘Old Love,’ – into a clever, intelligent screenplay weaving the active imagination of a writer of fiction into the narrative line of his less delightful daily routine. At the age of 85 Otto Tausig get the chance of a lifetime playing Max Cohen, an octogenarian writer who has a history of womanizing although his current below-the-waist concerns are more prostate-related than amorous. Often Max’s fantasy life is better than his reality; but even fantasies can turn into nightmares…
“The core story is taken from ‘The Briefcase.’ Max lives with Reisel (Rhea Pearlman) who is overprotective, constantly fussing and very suspicious of Max having other women on the side. Max has been invited to a New England college to discuss his work. For his journey Rhea gives him a handsome briefcase. On the way to the speaking engagement he strikes up a conversation with a young girl named Sylvia (Olivia Thirlby) sitting next to him on the train; then he falls asleep and drifts off into a fantasy. Once he gets to the college town, he encounters an old student/flame (Barbara Hershey) and his lecture does not go as planned. He cannot find his notes so reads from one of his short stories (‘Old Love’) instead. On the return trip he becomes addled and leaves the briefcase behind at the train station.
“Max’s train fantasy is based on ‘Alone,’ the story of a widower in Miami Beach who finds himself the only guest in a strange hotel when a hurricane is about to hit. The man in the dream is, of course, Max. Max has often wished he could be the only guest at a luxury hotel. This nightmare is a great example of ‘be careful what you wish for.’ The hunchback concierge (Elizabeth Peña) is the only employee who has stuck it out. The storm hits with a vengeance. The concierge is frightened and begs Max to let he stay with him in his room.
“In ‘Old Love’ a widower (Max, again) discovers he has a new next door neighbor (Tovah Feldshuh) when his doorbell rings unexpectedly. She is in her late fifties and lost her husband three months ago. After spending a couple of hours talking she invites him to lunch. They fall instantly in love and discuss getting married and the intimate details of their financial portfolios. Max cannot believe his good fortune and for good reason. Things take a wicked turn and Max ends up alone once again.
“Tausig’s Max is perfect pitch. Tovah Feldshuh is particularly wonderful as the woeful Miami Beach widow. Barbara Hershey, as expected, delivers another beautifully crafted performance. Jan Schütte intertwines the Singer stories effortlessly. 4 cats
“LOVE COMES LATELY screened at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival. ”