At the risk of sounding cliché', this movie is not for everyone. It moves a bit slowly in the beginning, and assumes a few things about its audience. But the overall feel of the movie, and the message that it communicates is very endearing.
Frank Langella is amazing as always, and perfectly captures what it's like to be a writer. His character is a true gentleman. He drinks tea, stands when a lady enters or leaves the room, and speaks honestly but with a polite tact when it's called for. It was really a nice thing to see.
Lili Taylor was hard to get a feel for. I just couldn't connect with her character. Probably because she was turning 40 and trying to have a kid. But her relationship with Adrian Lester was very genuine. They had a great chemistry that really played on the heart-strings.
Lauren Ambrose was a little quirky. The chemistry between her and Frank seemed too forced to me, and not because of the age difference. The only way I can describe it is by invoking the imagery of the unstoppable force meeting the immovable object.
But as I said, overall, the film is beautiful. The characters are richly developed, the music is beautiful, and the story really pulls you in as it unfolds. I wasn't quite sure how to feel about it, initially. But the more I watched, my love for the film gained momentum and really started to grow.
I would recommend this movie for readers, writers, and anyone who enjoys a good drama.
