Flashbacks from the deathbed

keep it all in the family

JOHN MARR's rating (out of five):

Probably the sort of fat book you pick up and put down over a number of days -- even weeks -- as the mood takes you.

The task of taking this large novel to the screen was shouldered by director Lajos Koltal, working to a version written by Minot and, it's reported, aided later by Michael Cunningham.

The plot, basically, is the aforesaid dying mum, Ann Lord (Vanessa Redgrave) remembering her love affair with a young doctor, Harris Arden (Patrick Wilson) during the wedding in Maine of her friend Lila (Mamie Gummer).

Points of interest include Gummer being the real-life daughter of Meryl Streep, who plays the much older Lila, and by this outing alone signals a fine career in the making.

Another is the winning performance by Aussie Toni Collette as one of Lord's daughters, the slightly way-out and sometimes grumpy Nina.

The Maine wedding is one of the oh-so-New England affairs (although it's actually shot in Rhode Island's Newport) and the guests celebrate the wedding in fine style until Buddy (Hugh Dancy), the boozy brother of Lila, takes it on himself to scare the daylights out of fellow guests by jumping off a cliff and disappearing underwater.

The film shows again that well-juiced wedding guests and stupid events like "the dive" are a bad mix but Buddy is the film's main ratbag relief, whether it wanted one or not.

The film runs two hours -- a long time to have to keep checking on somebody who's expiring.

Some critics have lamented that the novel had far too many characters to cram into a movie but they are not too hard to keep track of.

What didn't really click among them all was the premise that Patrick Wilson's smiling doctor was a character who could make a one-nighter worth a 40-year wait.

Fun Parisian romp through

life, love and the arts

JOHN MARR's rating (out of five): 

IF you’ve never been to Paris,  Orchestra Seats could send you packing  -- to your friendly travel agent.

The movie, originally named Avenue Montaigne and co-written and directed by the super successful Cousin, Cousine writer, Daniele Thompson,  is tagged as a comedy but isn’t  aimed at laying you in the aisles holding your sides.

Basically, Orchestra Seats,  at Trak Cinemas, tells how a young  woman armed with both captivating naivety and a healthy serve of  home-grown nouse sets out to find a job in Paris and fronts the owner of rather-well positioned and popular café.

Played with great charm as well as good humor by Cecil De France – who, despite her fresh looks has played everything from a Polish lesbian to a character in Public Enemy No. 1 --  Jessica has a bearing on at least three sets of lives pivoting on famed telly actress Catherine Versen (Valerie Lemercier),  star classical pianist  Jean-Francois Lefort (Albert Duponte) and art collector  Jaques Grumberg (Claude Brasseur) who’s about to flog his major collection despite protests from his son, Frederic (Christopher Thompson, who penned the film with his mum, Daniele).

Almost immediately, you’re struck by the freely-oozing class and glamour in this film’s setting, Avenue Montagne, where  the well-heeled locals are living the good life but all soldiering through sub-surface crises.

Jessica wins the  café  job – despite the restaurant owner’s insistence that he doesn’t employ females.

A stone’s throw away are a popular concert hall,  the auctioneer’s  gallery and auction house where the bids would challenge the economies of small countries and an historic theatre.

Three upcoming major events at these venues meaning that, with two café staffers off sick , the  restaurant will be under siege – ensuring Jessica’s employment.

At the concert hall, Jean-Francois practices his beautiful piano works for the concert but complains to his shocked wife that he’d rather stop touring for the high-class fans and go and play for an audience which knows nothing about music.

TV soap star Catherine makes her super series at night but rehearses for the premiere of her more arty  play during the day.

Part of  Jessica’s job is to run deliveries to the various customers dotted among the neighbourhood and  along with her we see their stories unfold.

The title chosen for this film centres on a conversation Jessica has about where one sits in an orchestral recital and the difference one’s location has on how you enjoy it or are disappointed by it. Where you sit in the cinema for this movie shouldn’t matter – it’s not heavy going and you’ll come out the winner.   

Take your eye off-screen as you dig in your pocket for a mint, however, and you might miss where our adventuring waitress is settling down for the night. Jessica shows a talent for snuggling down on the couches of notable hosts – some without their knowledge.

The camera lingers lovingly on some of  Paris’s best known sights.

Look for a scene shot outside the floral tribute-littered Place  de I’Alma, near the tunnel where Princess Diana died in 1997.

Jessica’s own metropolitan adventure unfolds and she provides a personal  influence on the arts, even helping  an actor gain a career-boost with US director Brian Sobinski (Sydney Pollack)

This is a mostly cheery, friendly comedy, rather than a gut-busting laugh-fest.

Easy on the eyes and ears – and the heart.