Coda

This is a beautiful film about music, classical music, in a world on wich pop culture reigns like there will be no tomorrow. Of course, Nieztsche is present since the beginning, without being a philosophical film. German culture is all about, specially German composers, like says Henry Cole (Patrick Stewart) on some point of the film. What is amazing is the way music is interconnected with the story, how is not only an ambiental music, but a kind of companion and most of the time it gives a clarity to the scenes. Is like a movie inside the movie, but full of sound, full of stories, full of meaning. This is a film that only could be the way it is: slowly, meditative, almost poetic, against the hurries and rushes from today cultural mainstream. A very beautiful and meaningful film that deserves a better qualification on IMDB, but I guess many of the reviewers doesn't understand the nuances and little twists here and there, and less about classical music, so at least they loss a half of the meaning of the movie when the doesn't get that message. I'm pretty sure that many reviewers doesn't know anything about classical music, so probably they only identifies the first piece of music when are transcurred 24 minutes, and many other pieces were played and telling things they don't understand. So, this is not a film for people immerse on today's pop culture.

Let's see...an Earl Grey sipping gay man who is half-Borg in his ambivalence towards women can't give us the chemistry to convince us so they use Romantic composer music to try and fill the gap?... What could go wrong? Star Dreck.

Well staged dramatization of uncertainty and decline in a gifted artist. The photography is outstanding and nuanced. Patrick Stewart and Katie Holmes are excellent.

I loved the film which shows the power of this music to inspire others. Patrick Stewart plays Henry Cole, an aging concert pianist, possibly modeled on Alfred Brendel, dealing with psychological problems interfering with his performances. Katie Holmes plays a young writer for the New Yorker who wants to write a profile about Henry. In addition to great performances by Stewart and Holmes, the minor characters are superbly done, especially one of the staff of a hotel in Switzerland where Cole is staying. If you don't love classical music, particularly the music for solo piano by Beethoven, Bach (and many others) don't bother with this film. Even if you do love this kind of music, you might find it rather slow.

Henry Cole (Patrick Stewart ) is an aging pianist who suffers from some old age forgetfulness. He has granted 'New Yorker" reporter and former student Helen Morrison (Katie Holmes ) access to him so she can write a fluff piece. That is about it. I like the first half of the film, the second half was ad nauseam. This is an artsy film for the pretentious as stated by Giancarlo Esposito in the film over dinner. If you don't have a philosophy of life the script is filled with Hollywood life soundbites to live by. It is like taking a lude and watching Dr. Phil. Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.

Henry Cole (Patrick Stewart) is a concert pianist struggling with some internal issues. New Yorker writer Helen Morrison (Katie Holmes) wants to do a story on him. Paul (Giancarlo Esposito) is his manager. This is a slow melodrama. It starts out as a character-with-issues story. I would be fine with that. I would be fine if Helen is somehow a figment of his imagination. All possibilities are on the table. It turns into an awkward May-to-December romance without any real heat. The car accident is too cute by half. It's trying to visually artistic when it needs to be visceral. The movie is trying to be classical music. The main drawback is the slightness of the romance. The only romance is playing the piano together and I only really got a sense of a boy scout guiding an elderly woman across the street. Their kissing is awkward as heck. I would get a different actress to play the part. Katie Holmes may be 40 at this point but she still seems like a kid. He's ready for the old age home. I do not see the romantic chemistry.

It's so good to find a simple movie without superheroes, drugs, violence or "true story". At first, i thought it could be boring or for piano lovers, but from the beginning it is shown a good rhythm, a conflict and teasers of what the story is about. It's a refreshing story without tragic drama. And enjoyable piano music!