Leisurely paced 'Youth' takes patience
Paolo Sorrentino's handsomely mounted, leisurely paced art film “Youth” works like a cinematic steam bath, surrounding us with therapeutically introspective, philosophical reflections on old age, life's disappointments and regrets, plus hopes for relief from malfunctioning urinary systems.
The 45-year-old Italian filmmaker, in his second English-language movie, proves his exceptional capacity for insight and compassion with the tale of two aging artists, a retired British composer and conductor named Fred (Michael Caine), and his best bud Mick (Harvey Keitel), a filmmaker struggling to complete what he expects will be his cinematic swan song.
Mick and Fred hang out at a fabulous, sprawling Swiss health spa, scenically rendered by cinematographer Luca Bigazzi's painterly compositions. They watch people, chat, remember their pasts, talk more and occasionally run into the naked bodies of much younger clients. (Imagine a spa run by Hugh Hefner for male readers of AARP magazine.)
Sorrentino occasionally scores with scenes of touching revelations, such as Fred's daughter Lena (Rachel Weisz) unloading a lifetime of resentment on Dad for the way he shut out his family.
Lena is also married to Mick's superficial son Julian (Ed Stoppard), who dumps Lena for Paloma Faith (parodying herself as a music video star) because “she's good in bed.”
Jane Fonda pops into the movie in the final leg as Mick's favorite actress, who has traveled from the U.S. to deliver some bad news in person (and to avoid what would have been a fairly dull phone call scene otherwise).
Meanwhile, Paul Dano's observant actor Jimmy Tree becomes a young reflection for Fred at the spa. Just as Fred is miffed that fans only appreciate his “Simple Songs” and ignore his important works, young Jimmy deals with being peeved that the public only recognizes him for playing a silly robot named Mr. Q.
Some raised issues in “Youth” go unresolved, as they often do in real life, but some questions receive answers in a protracted movie lovingly graced with touches of Woody Allen and Federico Fellini.
As you might guess, “Youth” relies not on plot, but on emotional attachments, something that Mick points out is “all we have.”
For filmgoers willing to wade through pretentious scenes of aging navel-gazing, “Youth” works like a cinematic spa to detox and cleanse the refuse of soulless film experiences from movie patrons.
Beware. Patience required.
“Youth” opens at the Century Centre in Chicago, expanding into the suburbs Dec. 18. Rated R for language, nudity, sexual situations. 118 minutes. ★ ★ ½