Looking to broaden my film community, I looked longingly at Selby Library’s Film Group Meeting which was showing “Shine”, the Australian movie for which Geoffrey Rush won an Oscar. Alas, I could not attend due to work, but thought I’d check out the protocol there on the off chance their discussion lasted longer than my shift.
In advance, I decided to watch another Geoffey Rush flick that I had almost gone to at Burns Court when it came out in 2017, Final Portrait, written and directed by Stanley Tucci.
And as my blog title already hinted, I loved it! Only the best movies can engage me at home, as you may also agree dear reader, is a place fraught with distractions, from internet dating texts, to dust I notice growing on the tv, to books I should be reading, etc. But I gave no thought to those items as I became enmeshed in Stanley’s tale of the artist, Alberto Giacometti.
Truth be told, I’ve loved most movies based on painters’ lives: Pollock, At Eternity’s Gate and Picasso, just to name a few. But Final Portrait was beautifully different than the aforementioned, having a more 3d approach to the painter’s life.
As most painters, Giacometti was self-involved, persnickety and tortured. However, Tucci showed the comic side to his personality; his very French infidelities and his o.c.d. habits. Geoffrey Rush was amazing as was Armie Hammer as his portrait sitting muse. Tony Shalhoub, who seems like such a namby pamby (yet an award winning one) in the Miss Maizel series, knocks it out of the park as the faithful, shrugging brother. His appearance changed to gray haired and non-descript enhances his acting that much more.
Other visual nuances included an antique wash to the film that made the muted colors Giacometti use seem more vibrant, and the bust that sits between Armie and Giacometti which symbolizes mystique, the third presence, that otherwordly alchemy which happens when someone produces great art.
A wonderful film, offered free on demand right now without interruption on the Starz network. Check it out.
