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Up at the Villa | Year: 2000 Classification: Drama Directed: - Philip Haas Actors/Actresses: - Kristin Scott Thomas - Sean Penn - Anne Bancroft Somerset Maugham's Novella comes to life We rented this video based on the legend on the cover, and didn't quite realize it would turn out to be the treat that it eventually was. This brilliant adaptation of a Somerset Maugham novella turns out to be one of the best things about 2000's art-film scene, though it has gone largely unnoticed, and even passed the eyes of critics without so much as a murmur. That is sad, because 'Up at the Villa' features Kristin Scott Thomas in her strongest and most well-written role yet. This is an actress who deserved to pick up an Oscar for 'The English Patient', but her performance in this film beats that hollow. It also stands out because its a faithful reproduction of the character in the novella, making this feature one of the more successful book-to-movie transfers. Sean Penn however, falters. In a role that could well be carried out by anyone from Henry Thomas to Harrison Ford, Penn is dull, lifeless and utterly uninteresting. However, his chemistry with Thomas is fodder enough to keep this film on its feet and the fast pace never slows down, even in the slower conversational segments. Set in Florence, Italy, the cinematography is flawless and the acting superb, though the real scene-stealer could well be Anne Bancroft, in a role that she walks through splendidly. The story is simple : Scott Thomas is a penniless well-bred girl at the Villa of her beau, an aging man soon to be the Governor of Bengal (they are all British, by the way). Shes doing it solely for the money and the sense of security, as her last marriage was a total disaster and she 'doesn't believe in love anymore'. It takes Sean Penn, a smooth talking American to make her see that passion is what makes life worth living, and that one must take ones' chances. This lends the film a predictable and thoroughly plain ending (it even read quite plainly in the book, if I remember) but it works. This film made me realize what a treasure we have in Kristin Scott Thomas. She has one of the most expressive faces and such an excellent sense of timing. She also carries herself with the most regal bearing, bringing to mind the days of Ava Gardner and Audrey Hepburn. No contemporary actress can hold a candle to Thomas - at least not in this film! 'Up at the Villa' should be seen for many reasons. One, its not often that an unsung movie of this calibre shows up. Second, the performances of all the female leads are outstanding, and third, the screenplay is the best I have ever witnessed the whole of this year. This is story telling at its' masterful best, and it should not be missed. Compelling, essential viewing. A good time!! I also really enjoyed this movie. This is an intelligent rendering of Somerset Maugham's novella. No explicit language, sex, or violence but the film still holds your attention because of the good dialogue and acting. The costumes are gorgeous too. Kristin Scott Thomas and Sean Penn have surprisingly effective romantic chemistry. And veteran actress Anne Bancroft almost steals the show with her deliciously gossipy character. Seeing this movie is a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours. Up At The Villa-VHS To settle or wait for true love-isn't that the question we all want answered. In 'Up At The Villa' Sean Penn and Kristen-Scott-Thomas give very strong performances in the lead roles. As for Anne Bancroft, she may not appear in more than one or two films a year but her contribution to this movie was extremely fine and she was so intriguing to watch in such a character. The Italian scenery is beautiful-this movie truly exceeded my expectations-I cannot wait for Amazon to bring this out on DVD. Movies of this genre are often underappreciated-but under the direction of Haas this is not to be missed! I last purchased 'An Ideal Husband' from Amazon-even my boyfriend-an action film fanatic-adored the amusing dialogue and silly storyline. 'Up At The Villa' is outstanding-I could watch it every night! Buy Up At The Villa at Amazon.com Buy posters at Allposters.com Jamster - the latest ringtones for your phone!  Search with Walhello on the Internet on Up At The Villa Search with the Priority Search Engine on Up At The Villa This page in other languages: Suomeksi | Nederlands | Deutsch
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