Venus (2006)

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  July 29, 2010

  Deano78

  A touching, heartfelt drama as two old semi retired actors lives are turned upside down upon the arrival of the niece of one of them. Peter O'Toole becomes infatuated with her and has a strange friendship with her. A film with a certain charm, if a bit odd at times, but the actin... read moreg talent on show steals the day.

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  October 1, 2009

  SirPant

  A fantastic film! Peter O'Toole and Leslie Phillips's chemistry is superb! O'Toole should have won the Oscar! Vanessa Redgrave's performance is also very touching. Highly recommended!

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  March 20, 2009

  middleeasternfilms

  Not at all what I expected, but that's a good thing since this movie had me laughing almost nonstop. Peter O'Toole had his heart broken again by just missing out on finally winning Best Actor for his role as a dirty old man who falls in love with his best friend's daughter's niec... read moree, whom he affectionately calls Venus. Maurice is a veteran actor who is somewhat rapidly dying, though you wouldn't know it from how young Jessie makes his feel. A very good movie with a lot of funny, albeit dirty dialogue.

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  July 19, 2008

  sononothing

  Venus is the story of how two aging actors (Peter O'Toole and Leslie Philips) lives are turned upside down by a teenager relative of Philip's character Ian. O'Toole plays Maurice, a seventy-something how becomes infatuated with her, but not really to the point of lust. Maurice se... read morees her as a work of art, in some cases perfection and in others a piece that needs to be molded some more.
  O'Toole's performance is fantastic and dare I say he should have gotten the Oscar for this one. The film isn't on par of Lawrence of Arabia, but his performance certainly is- a haunting look at an actor that's become a legend on stage but has failed in the other aspects of his life. He is a stranger to himself and "Venus" is a means to introduction.
  In the middle of this veteran cast you have Jodie Whittaker playing Jessie a.k.a. Venus. Whittaker takes the role and runs with it (she was 25 at the time of the film) and her past career has her following in the shadowy footsteps of O'Toole and the other veteran cast members.
  Even though the script for Venus can be a little ho-hum at times, the acting is what really makes this into a superior film that I would recommend seeing. Is it Peter O'Toole's swan song? I certainly hope not.

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  January 26, 2008

  Redlats

  I enjoyed this movie. Made me think. Is Maurice (Peter O'Toole) a dirty old man or not? A story of the agony of growing old, of friendships - both with his cohort Ian and with Jessie - a young relative of Ian's).

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  November 22, 2007

  gor41

  Measured study of an unusual relationship which veers close to creepy but is saved by a witty script, great performances and funny swearing.

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  July 17, 2007

  jennifxu

  I love that they call Maurice "MORE-iss," instead of "more-EASS". English goodness! Generally, the film was beautifully tragic but emotionally detaching.

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  June 6, 2007

  drago25

  Wow, what a great film. It stars the legendary Peter O'Toole in the very appropriate role of an aging actor who develops a kinship with a young woman under the care of his friend. It's the best film about old age I've seen since The Straight Story, and the best film about a relat... read moreionship between an older man and younger man since Lost In Translation. Not to compare it to those, because it's very different, but equally great. I unfortunately admit to not being too familiar with O'Toole's work, from his prime and otherwise - but his performance in here was stellar, honestly one of the best performances I've ever seen; he is utterly honest and funny and at the same time, tragic. Of course that the character is so close to himself in nature had to help, but it's still a monster of a performance. This is definitely an actor's film - the rest of the cast excels, as well, Leslie Phillips is amazing, and the relationship between he and O'Toole's character was so well done and beautiful, the scene when they dance in the church was absolutely magical. Jodie Whittaker plays the object of O'Toole's affection, he calls her "Venus" and it's a great performance for someone so young, I look forward to seeing what she does in the future. All in all, Venus is a great story with some absolutely fabulous acting, and I really dug the writing and directing, too. This should be a widely appealing film, and everyone should see if just to see the legendary O'Toole still entirely on top of his game.

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  June 6, 2007

  binky013

  O'Toole is one of those actors, the bulk of whose life has been witnessed on screen. From his early green years, we are able to observe his publicly documented maturation into advanced age, and this body of film roles is both an amazing historical compilation and a wistful look ... read moreat life's swift passage. This role, for even the consummate actor, must give the actor pause, playing the aged man who does die on screen when he himself is near the very end of his own life. It is, first and foremost, very brave of any actor to do this, I think, and it is also a testament, I believe, to O'Toole's perhaps living the majority of life through his acting. Although it must be depressing at times to play a part like this, the show -- the business of movie-making -- must go on, and, dammit, someone who can do it must play the role. A bittersweet film by any standard.

  My goodness, to see O'Toole and Redgrave on screen in their golden years -- their interactions are few, but are breathtakingly accomplished. True artistry and paired chemistry at work.

  My greatest problem with Venus, although this truly is one of O'Toole's best performances ever and deserves extended play, is that the film meanders on a little too long. Additionally, there are scenes -- several -- that could have and should have been cut. The plane of existence upon which these two "friends" exist is a higher one than requires some of the unnecessary, almost obligatory "sexual" content. Other than that, this really is a must-see.

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  January 27, 2007

  dunmyer

  [font=Garamond][size=4][color=black]Venus is a good film, but not a great one. It is a meditation on life and death. One person's life is ending, and another's is beginning.[/color][/size][/font]
  
  [img]http://www.patriotledger.com/content/articles/2007/01/19/life/life02.jpg[/img... read more]
  
  [font=Garamond][size=4][color=black]Peter O'Toole plays Maurice, a London actor who's had a considerable amount of renown, but who's not a superstar. He certainly isn't wealthy. He lives in a small apartment underneath a train track on the outskirts of the city. His friends live in similarly modest fashion and are also alone at the end of their lives.[/color][/size][/font]
  
  [font=Garamond][size=4][color=black]Maurice is generally at peace. He appears to be satisfied with the life he's lived. He says at one point that he "gave pleasure and got pleasure." That seems to be his view of the most anyone could hope for in life.[/color][/size][/font]
  
  [font=Garamond][size=4][color=black]All indications are that his youth and middle age were spent pursuing pleasure in a libertine fashion, including abandoning his wife and children to have an affair. His ex-wife is played by Vanessa Redgrave. She says at one point that he had always put his pleasure first. This comes almost as an indictment. But she says it with such a smile on her face that it doesn't appear to have bothered her. All she seems to feel for the old man is deep affection as both of them enter the twilight of their time on Earth.[/color][/size][/font]
  
  [font=Garamond][size=4][color=black]In the midst of this quiet, peaceful life comes Jessie, a vulgar, working-class girl who is a relative of one of Maurice's friends. Maurice takes an instant liking to the girl, despite her taciturn demeanor and overall crassness. When Maurice first speaks to her, she stares at him, doesn't say a word, and walks out of the room.[/color][/size][/font]
  
  [font=Garamond][size=4][color=black]The two develop an unlikely connection that goes beyond the bounds of friendship. When I saw the previews, I thought the film would be an anodyne celebration of friendship across generations. Eighty-something and 20-something share an unlikely bond. Oh, how sweet. Get out your Hallmark cards and your kleenex and get ready for your heart to be warmed![/color][/size][/font]
  
  [font=Garamond][size=4][color=black]But this film is hardly anodyne, and it could never be shown on TV without some serious cutting. Maurice's apprection for Jessie, whom he calls Venus, is not chaste. When he tells her that he's been thinking of her night and day, he admits that he's been thinking of her body.[/color][/size][/font]
  
  [font=Garamond][size=4][color=black]When she asks what part of her body, he begins to list them. He starts with eyes and hands, but he quickly moves to "behind" and even "cunt." For him to say cunt to a woman who may not be more than 21 years old was quite shocking. [/color][/size][/font]
  
  [font=Garamond][size=4][color=black]The film does firmly push up against the boundaries of what polite society would consider acceptable. At times it's even downright hard to watch. One scene involves her fingering herself and then offering him a smell![/color][/size][/font]
  
  [font=Garamond][size=4][color=black]As a celebration of lust, the film is quite bold. But I can't say it's that thrilling. The script, by Hanif Kureishi of My Beautiful Laundrette fame, just doesn't delve deeply enough into these issues. I like the themes, but I wasn't that moved by the level the film got to.[/color][/size][/font]
  
  [font=Garamond][size=4][color=black]There has been much buzz about O'Toole's performance. But I can't say I was that moved by it. I hate to say it, but when I see an actor in his or her 80s in a film, it always seems to me that they barely know what they're doing. It was the same for me with O'Toole. He certainly looked old. But was that because he's a great actor, or because he himself is very old?[/color][/size][/font]
  
  [font=Garamond][size=4][color=black]I could possibly see a Best Actor nomination. But I certainly can't see him winning, not over someone like Ryan Gosling or Forest Whitaker. Those men had infinitely more going on in their performances, it seems to me.[/color][/size][/font]

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• Julian Pablo
• Silvino Ramirez
• Salvador Ramirez
• María Elena Flores
• Peter O'Toole as Maurice
• Leslie Phillips as Ian
• Jodie Whittaker as Jessie
• Richard Griffiths as Donald
• Vanessa Redgrave as Valerie

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  O'Toole's `Venus' is a marvel

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  5 years ago

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