VividSimon Simply Perfect

FeistyUpper If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

Claysaba Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Humaira Grant It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

DemiRonin The story is a about an old man who is quite a famous actor. He meets a young, sort of lower class girl who has just moved into town with nothing. They strike up a peculiar relationship and Maurice, the old man, falls head over heels for this woman who he thinks is just the most beautiful thing on earth. This film is full of laughs and the older characters are just full of spirit and vigor. This film also has a lot of Corinne Bailey Rae if your any fan of her music. The acting is quite superb all around. I don't really like the ending because it has the feeling of a slow release more than anything else. But that's just how it goes, can't blame the story line it's just not my cup of tea. There is a cool fight scene if you watch it in which there's a cool judo move preformed. It's definitely a great film to watch if you don't mind a film about old people.

Enchorde Recap: Maurice, once a great actor, is living out his last days long from the spotlight. His days consists of bit parts in series and chatting away with his friends at their local café, mostly complaining about their old age. Into this comes young Jessie, niece of Maurice's friend Ian. Ian and Jessie don't get along at all, but Maurice is all too eager to get to know her. Over time an odd relationship develop.Comments: A rather odd story actually. At first sight it is about growing old, as the main focus is on Maurice. This is true, but only in part. It is also about two people desperately seeking attention. They are a world apart in their situations, young and old, but oddly enough they can help each other. It isn't easy to tentatively develop such a relationship, a complex mix of friendship, adoration and sexual desire, but this is also what gives the story life. Not always very nice to watch, but one might say interesting.The story is mainly focused about Maurice, so the pace is a little slower, as Maurice against his own will is forced to slow down his life, despite trying to living it large for Jessie. It also give Peter O'Toole the chance to shine with a complex and difficult character. And he does, his nomination for an Oscar was well earned, and without the stiff competition he might have won it. Actually, O'Toole's acting and Maurice's dark humor is far and away the best with this movie. It is really what makes this move worthwhile. And it is well worth the time.Jodie Whittaker, almost giving her screen debut as Jessie is not given an easy task either. But she gives an impressive performance. If Maurice and O'Toole is a waning star, Whittaker seems like a rising one.Not really my kind of movie, a little slow and the genre is not my favorite. However the acting and Maurice's almost charming sarcastic humor made me like it, even if it won't get top rating from me.6/10

Chrysanthepop Michell tells an unconventional story of an aged actor who's fallen for a very young lady. What makes this story different from other old v/s young love stories is that the relationship is very sexual in nature. Maurice clearly sees Jessie as a very sexual being and he would definitely go far enough if she had allowed it. Yet, Jessie herself isn't completely innocent. She is completely aware of his feelings and takes advantage of it. While this part of their relationship is uncomfortable to watch, there is another side to it. Maurice clearly is infatuated with this girl but he never forces himself on her. On the one hand his despair is understandable as he's a man in the last stage of his life. He's maintained a friendly relationship with his estranged wife but his children won't have anything to do with him. He chats with his friends at a café. The only roles offered to him are those of corpses. While he struggles getting up from bed to live his miserably lonely life, it is the entrance of Jessie that changes that. She's young. She's attractive. She's vibrant (though a little tempered). The young Jessie isn't evil either. She too enjoys Maurice's company. Perhaps her feelings towards him were part sympathy part affection. Though both characters are initially portrayed in an unsympathetic way, they manage to build a bridge that connects to the viewer.Hanif Kureishi is known for telling stories about unconventional relationships and here too he does a good job. It is well paced. Some might find it slow but I think it works for this kind of film. The dialogues are solid, both funny, poetic and get you to say 'hmm!'. Also the comedic situations are well executed like the one where Maurice and Jessie go shopping and Maurice only offers to pay 20. The cinematography and score do a good job of demonstrating the loneliness, dullness and somewhat carelessness of London. Meanwhile Corinne Bailey Rae's soothing voice highlight the gentle songs.Peter O'Toole delivers a marvelous performance. I'm glad to see that actors like him and Vanessa Redgrave do not shy away from playing such roles of elderly people. He is charming, kind, passionate (with Venus), somewhat appalling and sympathetic. Redgrave has two scenes of which she does nothing short of greatness. Confidant newcomer Jodie Whitaker more than just holding her own to veteran O'Toole. She adds a freshness and displays Jessie's growth with great confidence. Leslie Phillips too does a fine job as Maurice's friend. He's particularly funny in the scenes where he expresses his dislike for Jessie.'Venus' is a refreshing, sincere little film sans pretense. It's got wonderful performances, intriguing characters, solid dialogue and an unusual story.

mike dewey Fantastic amalgamation of cinematography, music, story lines, punch lines, acting prowess and whatever else went into this "fictional" biography of the actor Peter O'Toole. OK, It's not supposed to be a biography at all, but I guess it's a pretty good summation of the life and past times of our star actor. This film is not for those who relish the fast-paced, "in your face" formulaic fare. Rather, it is a slow moving, subtly comfortable and dry-witted story about some aging London thespians (O'Toole and Leslie Phillips) who find their lives turned topsy-turvy when Phillip's grand-niece is inserted into their rather mundane existence.Mr. O'Toole goes "ga-ga" over the new gal (Jodie Whittacre as Venus), but he does it with restraint and calculation, and with large doses of humorous innuendos and tongue-in-cheek bawdiness! That sounds very nice and maybe somewhat superficial, but what underlies all this is a man's total acceptance of his past glory and of his new situation in life as an old man whose time is dwindling, whose body is literally falling apart. His memories and sense of humor and destiny (and Venus!) are all he has left and he makes the the best of it, due in no small part to the wonderfully unique relationship he develops with the young lass. Note also the scenes with Vanessa Redgrave, who plays the estranged wife. No tear-jerking gushing of over-sentimentality abounds (just a few well placed boo-hoos!) when they reminisce about their past. Rather, an innate acceptance of what had transpired in their relationship that is visibly manifested by their infusions of ample doses of dry humor. It's like "What, me worry?" because what does it all really mean in the final analysis, including how many "columns" you'll get? In addition to the wonderfully subtle yet emphatic acting by the aforementioned actors and the marvelous script and cinematography, one would have to include kudos for a most poignant soundtrack by both Corrine Bailey Rae and David Arnold. It encompasses not only an eclectic mix of wonderful musical styles and textures, but also a savvy insertion of these tracks at the proper moments in their respective scenes. I really feel that many moviegoers and reviewers seem to place the musical score as somewhat beneath the rest of a given film's ingredients. Take the score out of this film and you lose some of the film's innate charm. In total, however, it becomes a wonderful piece.