Venus

Venus ***1/2

"Venus" is another film that is somewhat mis-marketed, because while it is a light hearted drama, it doesn't drift into comedy much at all, which were the sections that were highlighted most in the advertisements. But I can look past that, because it's not the marketing that ends up making a movie, but the movie itself. "Venus" is the comeback for Peter O'Toole, whose been appearing a bit recently in big period pieces-he was in "Troy," and then the panned "One Night with the King," which is unseen by me. But here he is able to do something with a character that isn't based on anyone-he is able to live and breath with it, and with it he does some amazing things. There's certainly an Oscar nomination in this for O'Toole, and if there isn't than I give up on Oscar.

"Venus" is the story of a May-December romance, but of the most unusual kind. Mr. O'Toole plays Maurice, an aging actor who never really hit it big. He know spends his acting roles often on hospital gurneys dead. He discusses his career at this point with a fellow actor Valerie, who he was obviously romantically linked to in the past. Maurice spends just about every single afternoon in a nearby coffee shop, where he hangs out with his two friends Ian, and Donald. Ian is enlisting in the help of a young girl, Jessie, to help him do cleaning, cooking, etc, but little does he know that his sister is dumping the young girl on him because of obvious reasons. She's a loud, irresponsible, and drunken young woman, who claims to be in town because she's looking for modeling work, but really ends up spending her days lazily at home, barely cooking anything decent for Ian. Ian claims that she ever drank all of his good liquer, and asks for help from his two friends. Maurice ends up getting Jessie a modeling job, but its not the kind that she was after. It's a nude modeling work for an art class, and Maurice can't help but try and peak through the glass of the door and see what is happening inside. Maurice and Jessie begin a sort of friendship, where he is obviously smitten with her. He takes her out on the town, buys her expensive clothes with the little money that he has, and he is generally, as he puts it, "nice to her."

"Venus" is a tricky film because it involves two rather tricky characters, which O'Toole and newcomer Jodie Whitaker play to perfection. Any other actor could have easily made it seem that Maurice only likes Jessie because of his age-he is at the point in his life where he knows that life is nearing its end and will do almost anything to try and make himself feel younger. But O'Toole plays it with such tenderness and compassion that we know that he genuinely does love this girl. Jessie is a difficult character too. Even though she has some sort of feeling for Maurice as well, she can't bring herself over to it. Why? Perhaps she is a bit weirded out by even thinking that she could have feelings for such an older man, and she pushes him away because of it. And it's great to see both of them sort of battle each other for the others affection-Maurice doesn't give up even though she pushes him away at times, and Jessie tries to refuse to give herself over to him, but she obvious wants him too. Both of these characters need the other at this point, and the reasons why Jessie needs Maurice are a little more hidden than the reasons why Maurice needs Jessie.

There is much comparison to this film and "Harold and Maude," which deals with a similar plot line of the young man, older woman romance. I really do hate that film, and it was simply strange watching that relationship. It seemed forced and creepy, simply because I didn't care about either Harold nor Maude. With "Venus" I really did somewhat root for this relationship, even though it was fine in the state that it was in. Even though it has a somewhat tragic ending, the characters in "Venus" turn it into more of a celebration of life, as opposed to a film about death. "Venus" doesn't explore any new grounds, but has some great acting which makes it worthwhile. It's a shame that O'Toole has never won an Oscar in his many many years in the field, and after seeing his work here I really don't know if I want him to win or Forest Whitaker. I suppose I'll be happy either which way.