Saturday, February 25, 2006

Movie Review: Casanova

What can I say? It's a Venetian farce. If you're looking for a deep analysis of Casanova's motive or even life, this movie wasn't it. It's an enjoyable piece of fluff that won't make you think too hard about what's going on.

Casanova (Heath Ledger) is under the protection of the Doge, but after debauching some nuns, he's on his last warning. The Doge instructs him to marry otherwise he can no longer protect him against the Inquisition - after all, Venice remains a republic so long as Rome allows it. Sienna Miller is Francesca Bruni, a feminist who delivers lectures at the university in male drag. Her family is impoverished, and their survival is dependent upon her marrying a Genose lard merchant, Oliver Platt. Her family palazzo is directly across the canal from the girl whom her younger brother pines over...the same girl Casanova decides to marry. When her brother issues a challenge to Casanova, being the superior swordsperson, Francesca fights on his behalf and thus the Great Lover and the Great Feminist meet...

The acting is pretty good: Ledger's mumbling from Brokeback is turned into a lazy drawl that you can believe would belong to someone so cocksure, Miller doesn't really look like a man but acquits herself well, and Jeremy Irons as the head inquisitor uses that great voice to excellent effect. But the role of the movie must go to Oliver Platt. Surely, he is a brave man to let himself into a role that involves being tied to a rack semi-naked and covered in mint jelly. But the real star is Venice itself. *sigh* The maze of alleyways, the canals, the light, the gondolas...I swear, one of the scenes was filmed in the awesome courtyard of the post office where I bought some francobollo (postage stamps).

Like I said, its a piece of enjoyable fluff. The movie is full of mistaken identity, swordfights, chases, lucky escapes, jolly people and growling villains. It's not something that should tax your mind so much and there's a happy if somewhat unbelievable ending. But hey! When your topic is someone who's lived such a full life as Casanova (who worked variously as a secretary, librarian, author, military officer, and guy who ran the lottery) you can't really expect a drama now!

7/10

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