Casanova

[borborygmus]

Well, I really enjoyed that! Fine cast (Lena Olin [yep, my girlcrush is firmly in place], Jeremy Irons, Oliver Platt), mistaken identities, general silliness, pretty costumes, and pigs.

I'd never seen Sienna Miller in anything, but she was pretty good, quite lovely and plucky, and seemed to fence well. Heath Ledger does not particularly bring the sexy, IMO, but he was rakish enough.

[chiqui]

I liked it a lot too, I'd give it about a 9. IMO the supporting actors were the best... Lena Olin, the young guy who played Francesca's brother, Oliver Platt. It's always nice to see Tim McInnerny, but boy has aged since the Blackadder days. And Jeremy Irons really knows how to chomp that ham, tongue in cheek of course. Lots of pretty Venetian scenery and gorgeous costumes.

My only quibble was that all mistaken identity bits were hard to swallow after a while. If Casanova was so notorious, why wouldn't more people know what he looked like?

[borborygmus]

chiqui said:

My only quibble was that all mistaken identity bits were hard to swallow after a while. If Casanova was so notorious, why wouldn't more people know what he looked like?

I just suspended disbelief for that, like we have to do for bunches of Shakespeare's plays. I figure they didn't have ET or Access H'wood back then, and it's not as if Casanova's hundreds of women would admit to knowing what he looked like.

And thanks for the Blackadder tip, chiqui. I kept thinking "where have I seen that guy?"

[Binky]

I saw this today, and quite liked it. My question: Why on earth is it rated R? No nudity, no (real) violence, no cursing. I know it was heavy on the sexual innuendo, but feh.

I still couldn't pick Sienna Miller out of a line up, though.

[huntergrayson]

Allegedly it's all due to the handjob under the table scene. Our ratings system sucks, doesn't it? Lasse (the director aka Mr. Olin and therefore a very lucky man) was quite displeased and commented as such - ""From my experience [with 'The Cider House Rules'], I had to cut out thrusts between Tobey Maguire and Charlize Theron; a half a thrust is okay for PG-13- It's crazy." Jack Valenti (former MPAA head) came into my class last semester and I know it's wrong to hate a 84-year old man with such violent passion, but, oh, the fury.

I really, really enjoyed this as well. I think it should've gotten more credit around the holiday season - a GG nom for Best Musical/Comedy would not have been unreasonable, and a wide release on Christmas day would've been nice. Venice is so frickin' gorgeous, it's almost wrong. Color me surprised that Sienna actually has some life in her and I thought she and Heath had some nice chemistry. The blonde girl was really, really pretty. Even with all the mistaken identities, I dug the twist at the end of the brother becoming Casanova - the whole time I was wondering how the movie would manage the inevitable happy ending between Francesca and Casanova but still continue the Casanova sexual antics. There were actually a lot of small touches of foreshadowing that I really liked and am surprised I didn't catch, but they were handled subtly enough that the pay-off made me go "ahh" rather than "duh..." such as Lena remarking that Heath was too thin and that her husband was enormous, then falling for Oliver Platt...Casanova' servant (that actor was awesome) stealing the tablecloth and then it being used as a sail. Oh, Lena. So awesome. The entire cast, really. I do love a good ensemble and this was definitely one.

So it's really, really good and don't miss it just because it's not getting the buzz of the awards season. I did laugh earlier today when I passed a small theatre playing both this and Brokeback Mountain - what a contrasting double feature that would be, no?

[Britty]

Why on earth is it rated R? No nudity, no (real) violence, no cursing. I know it was heavy on the sexual innuendo, but feh.

My husband and I were discussing this yesterday. I just can't believe it's for the scene huntergrayson mentioned because you don't see anything that's going on. It's crazy to give this movie an R.

It was a lovely movie. Pretty Venice and pretty costumes.

I did laugh earlier today when I passed a small theatre playing both this and Brokeback Mountain - what a contrasting double feature that would be, no?

Casanova- the Heath Ledger movie without the mansex!

[Deleted]

I really wanna see this film. Mostly because of my girl crush on Lena Olin.

[venusdiva429]

I really want to see it now. I hope it doesn't vanish before I get my keister up, though.

[MrsCatHead]

Good cast. Except for Sienna Miller. I just can't buy her accent or her character or her wig.

I think this will be good crack fluff to watch on a Sunday afternoon. But I generally dislike movies that are set in the past but play like the present, kwim?