Genres

Visitors Review

JBrrymre 2012-05-25 12:01:22

Very good performances and inspired casting.

Sarah Polley more than holds her own as the star of this interesting andquirky film. Gina Gershon seems much more natural and likeable than usualhere, and Stephen Rea is a bit understated in his performance. Jean Smarthas a wonderful turn during a monologue to her daughter (Polley) and Connie(Rea). Intelligently written, stylishly directed.

2012-05-24 20:38:53

Pure male fantasy, certainly not real at all

I felt as though some writer in Hollywood was desperately trying to convince me the lifestyle of this sleezebag was desirable and could even be realistic. This movie wants me to believe for at least two long hours that a dirty, old man actually convinces about 6 or so young women to live with him 5 yrs consecutively and in chronological order AND for the writer to think this is to be considered even plausible to any jab at reality is absurd--(once the girls get a little too ripe it's perfectly natural to dump them and of course only the cool girl walks away calmly without an objection) If that isn't enough of some writer's fantasy, then all of the young girls gather at the brooding intellectual's death to show him their breasts for one last hurrah. It is at this point the writer wimps out while trying to give the film a sensitive feel good explanation about the end of a man who doesn't know God and I'm afraid whose end in real life, not fantasy, would probably have been a little more frightening than having his own picture taken. The simpering explanation of the end of life reminded me of conversations with evolutionists trying to explain the "moment" life begins. The stammer at the explanation of death is not surprising for this writer. Obviously it would have been wiser to leave the subject of death out of the film since the ability of the writer to deal with it was like a big blue candle on top of a Volkswagon bug:the main object is okay(not great) , but it really looks stupid with the finishing touch! I found this movie sickening, seedy and sexist.

David Noh 2012-05-20 07:39:41

A coolly hip chick flick.

2012-05-19 16:11:05

Sarah Polley is Hot

What an incredible movie the story was great, THe acting was supersweet an the lead was Shaggarific Baby Yeah!

cinemel 2012-05-15 01:25:22

Well acted,bittersweet contemporary romance

It's wonderful to see a woman's name at the helm of a feature film. AudreyWells has written and directed `Guinevere', the story of a young woman'scoming of age. Harper Sloane (Sarah Polley) has just graduatedcollege and is preparing to enter Harvard Law School. On the day of hersister's marriage she meets the wedding photographer, Connie Fitzpatrick(Stephen Rea), and begins a Pygmalion-like relationship with him. Thecharacter of Fitzpatrick is somewhat reminiscent of that of Noel Airman inthe 50's novel`Marjorie Morningstar' by Herman Wouk. Airman too is idolized by teens as hedirects them in amateur theatrics in a New York summer resort. In a pivotalscene with Harper's mother (Jean Smart), Fitzpatrick is confronted with hisown shortcomings. Smart has two or three biting scenes in thefilmwhere she demonstrates that her artistry is not limited to the sitcommediocrity of `Designing Women'.Wells has filmed this tale with a fine feminine sensibility that definitelymakes the audience care aboutthe characters. The romantic aspects of the plot are tastefully handled, asis the bittersweet ending.

TxMike 2012-05-14 07:38:33

Reminiscent of Casablanca, he sends his love off to safety.

I suspect the theme of this movie is a relatively common fantasy among"mature" single men. Namely, find a very young woman who needs guidanceand love, attach no strings, and plan on her leaving as she grows up."Guinivere" is hard to watch in places, especially as the couplearrives in L.A. and it becomes crystal clear to her what her man reallyis all about. However, it is a well-done study of human needs andconflicts. And ultimately, resolutions. Guinivere's mother's analysis is spot-on, mature women just don't have"awe" of this dysfunctional photographer, and that's why he is alwayswith a much younger woman.I gave this movie "8" of "10". Not because it is fun to watch, butbecause it does such a good job of exploring family relationships andindividual growth.Oct 2006 addition: Seeing part of it again today, I realized somethingwhich escaped me on first viewing. The first time he asks her to pickwhich of two photos is best, he was just setting up the rest of hisruse. He used it as a trick of sorts to make her believe she had aphotographic talent.

Christopher 2012-05-14 11:20:08

it all starts with the writing and here it soars

I went to see this film originally in the theatres because I knew theactress (Sarah Polley) from her many years of work on "Road to Avonlea,"apopular Canadian TV series and because she had attended the same highschoolI was currently at. I also was aware of the fact her co-star was StephenRea, another actor of note.I went into the movie with no expectations whatsoever. And walked outpleasantly surprised. Something that doesn't happen to often with me andmyvoyages into the land of celuloid.It's a film about a young woman who has an affair with an older man whois aphotographer. He teaches her some life lessons and how to take photos.(Wow, this description makes it sound bad to even me!) Well filmed - asamovie about photographers should be, interestingly and touchinglywritten,the film is a statement by its director, though sometimes a little feebleinits voice. Co-starring Gina Gershon (among others) as some of thephotographer's ex-girlfriends, the film is rich with characters, has alively score of world music and captivates.Personally, I found the ending moving as the characters pontificate onhowthe meaning of their lives and how to put together their lives on moveforward. Well-said with thought-provoking dialogue, the final scenesnearlybrought me to tears as the visual imagery soared.This is a film I loved so much that, when a local video sold off itsgoodsin a closing sale, I HAD to buy. One of only two videos I bought at thetime. A film I highly recommend, even if it's not perfect. Definitely agood glimpse into the world of independent film for those that are new tothe concept and a pleasant (if not more) experience for those that avidlyview them.

bron-tay 2012-05-14 08:08:13

Whose story was this, anyway?

I'm putting this in here not so much for the purposes of explaining orreviewing, but for 1) giving other haters of Guinevere a place to checkin, and 2) entertaining those who love to read negative reviews ofmovies they know they're going to see anyway.Poor, pathetic Harper, literally hiding in the closet at her sister'swedding, her hair mussed and her bride's-maid dress sagging off hershoulders. "You've obviously mistaken me for someone with potential,"she barely manages to squeak to the wedding photographer, in one of themultitudinous lines of on-the-nose dialogue in this self-conscious,overwrought clunker.Somehow this bright, beautiful 20-year-old has managed to get throughher entire life, including four years of college, without once meetinga person who has affirmed her intelligence and her creativity, eventhough she's smart enough to have been accepted into Harvard Law.Similar ironies occur in real life--the beauty who thinks she's ugly,the overachiever who thinks she's not doing enough--but at some pointyou lose interest in a character who's either got some seriouspersonality disorder or whose creator (the writer) imagines that weirdgestures and speeches can take the place of psychology.The beautiful, bright girl proves utterly vulnerable to the seducementsof the wedding photographer: an older, less-promising, often insolent,and lecherous man who says things to her like "You can do it" and "Youmust learn to detest the bourgeoisie." Oh, I don't remember if heactually said *those* things, but his utterances are so much hogwashthat only an impression of nonsense remains. Harper is introduced to .. . coffee houses! She listens to . . . jazz! Someone actually asks herabout her ideas for the first ever time in her whole entire life! To goback to the biographical thing, how did this girl ever get the liberalarts education required to enter Harvard Law without someone at leastonce eliciting her opinion on something? And probably admiring it?Without ever having a lively conversation with intellectual andcreative types? Without ever laughing? Without going through that wholefascinating-older-man thing about ten times? Without getting a glimpseoutside the world she came from? Unlikely, weird scenes get slapped on, one after the other, without anyprogress in character or conflict. She throws herself on him hungrily.She moves in. He insults her, she runs away, she insults him and thencomes back, they insult each other and reunite. When he's at hislowest, she goes into a frenzy of taking his picture, presumably off aroll of film with about 200 exposures on it. Then she gets him intofocus and relents with a whimper.Ultimately, the photog turns out to be every bit as bad as he promises,and perhaps a little better since he's principled enough to send heraway when it's at the point where the relationship can do nothing butdrag her down. Fast-forward to so many years later and she's giving himthe last and only thing she can: her best wishes for a good death. Thescene drags on and on, and ends with his dissolution into heavenlywhite light. Why? Whose story was this? "He was the worst man I evermet. Or the best man I ever met." This ham-fisted summary, I suppose,is supposed to be a specimen of brilliant, tortured, complex ambiguity.To me, it's a failure to make a stand, an excuse for the writer to dumpa truckload of contradictions into a character then sneak away withoutexplaining any of it. And why end with him? Again I ask, whose storywas this?Audrey Wells, you're a fraud.

Jeffrey M. Anderson 2012-05-13 09:46:12

Gives us a working relationship in progress rather than the usual Hollywood sitcom.

aimless-46 2012-05-12 22:29:46

A Must See If Crushing On Sarah Polley

Sarah Polley fans, especially ones going all the way back to "Ramona",are generally big-time "Guinevere" (1999) fans simply because it is thefilm in which she peaked physically. And Director Audrey Wells pickedup on this during casting, seeing in Polley (at that time of her life)someone physically perfect to play her heroine Harper Sloane. Wellsneeded a young woman who simply glowed in front of the camera, whoseface looked better "without" make-up, and who projected both innocenceand restlessness. With Polley she also got a bonus, one of the mosttalented actresses of her generation. In this sense Wells resembles Alfred Hitchcock, a director with anuncanny ability to identify actresses at the one moment of their liveswhen they are physically perfect for a particular role. Sylvia Sidneyin "Sabotage", Nova Pilbeam in "Young and Innocent", and Joan Fontainein "Rebecca" come to mind.Wells, who also wrote ''The Truth About Cats and Dogs'', captures thatmoment in some young women's lives (yes, the film could be considered afeminist statement) when they are able to break free of expectationsand programming. The Harper Sloane character seems so authentic and theportrayal so lacking in glib cynicism that it most likely has a lot ofautobiographical elements. Harper is tracking along toward Harvard Law School when she meetsCornelius Fitzpatrick (Stephen Rea), a middle-aged Irish artist who hasbeen hired to photograph her sister's wedding. His well-practicedseduction technique and irreverent world-view causes a major attitudeadjustment and she abandons her career track to become his protégé andlover.The story is told from Harper's point of view and the viewer soonlearns along with her that this is not the traditional "Pygmalion"scenario. While not exactly a rogue and a roué, "Connie" is acompulsive Henry Higgins who has repeatedly played this game withrepressed young women. He goes into these relationships with afive-year time limit. Consistent with the POV factor, Harper's story is told with intelligence and compassion, with a lot ofemphasis on the fragility of a first love and the pain of a trustbetrayed. The film's feminist slant is revealed not so much by what isexplicitly shown but by its failure to bring any dimensionality toConnie's character. No clues are provided to explain his aversion to along-term commitment, Harper discovers that his promises are empty onesbut she never learns the roots of his insecurities. Although Polley's best scenes are those with Carrie Preston, who playsher best friend and confidante; the most entertaining scenes are thosewith her mother (Jean Smart), an unstated version of Susan's mother on"Seinfeld". The dysfunctional nature of Harper's family and hermother's unfulfilled life are slowly and somewhat comically revealed,but the bottom line is that her mother is sincerely trying to shieldher daughter from mistakes. Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

jhclues 2012-05-11 23:25:36

Jean Smart Steals the Show

A young woman living in San Francisco, who has just been accepted toHarvard, decides upon another path after meeting and falling under theinfluence of an older man, an artist, in `Guinevere,' written and directedby Audrey Wells. Sarah Polley stars as Harper Sloane, who lives with hercareer oriented, rather self-absorbed family-- her parents, Alan (FrancisGuinan) and Deborah (Jean Smart), and her older sister, Susan (EmilyProcter). Rather self-conscious and unsure of herself, Harper has allowedher parents to plan her future-- a career in law, though it is decidedlyagainst her own wishes. Then at Susan's wedding she meets the photographer,Connie Fitzpatrick (Stephen Rea), an artist, who quickly gains herconfidence and lures her into his own bohemian lifestyle. She moves in withhim (unbeknownst to her parents, who think she's staying with a friend forawhile), and he becomes her mentor; she is his `Guinevere,' and the onlydemands he makes of her is that she `create' something every day. Thechoice of her artistic endeavors is entirely up to her; photography,painting, writing, dancing. but she must create.Inevitably, of course, their relationship develops beyond thementor/protege stage, and she learns some things about him that ultimatelylead to complications. And she discovers that her reign as Queen Guineveremay not be all that she had expected it to be.Wells convincingly presents the allurement of a lifestyle free ofconstraints and overwhelming demands, which makes it quite understandablethat the indecisive Harper would choose to go with Connie, rather thanadhere to the wishes of her parents, who are rather cold and impersonal andaltogether controlling (especially her mother). The fact that Alan dotes onSusan and could seemingly care less about Harper, as well as Deborah'sapparent lack of actual concern for Harper, qualifies the facility withwhich Harper is able to effect her plans so readily. And even when Deborahfinds out what Harper is up to (which, of course, was inevitable), she seemsto take it as a personal affront more than anything, and is content withmerely denigrating the relationship into which her daughter has entered,rather than even trying to change it, which ostensibly at least, would bethe appropriate reaction of a concerned parent.Polley is well cast as Harper, as physically and emotionally she is able tofit Harper's profile perfectly, and she gives a credible performance, thoughgiven her unassuming manner and fairly nondescript appearance, it says moreabout Connie than it does about her. And what you have already been able todeduce about Connie from his pursuit of Harper is further underscored duringa scene in which Deborah confronts him with her views on the situation(which is arguably the most powerful scene in the film). Rea is perfectly cast, as well, affecting a patient, reserved manner,touched with an almost forlorn weariness evocative of a certainwisdom-of-the-world attitude that makes Harper's attraction to himbelievable. And as the story unfolds, he very subtly allows you to see moreof what lies beneath the surface until, in the end, you have a concisepicture of who Connie really is. It's a fine, understated performance, anda good bit of work by Rea.In a supporting role that demands mention, Jean Smart gives a smolderingperformance as Deborah, a woman of seemingly insatiable needs and anoverwhelming desire to dominate. And Smart plays it perfectly, from thelook in her eye to the telling way she carries herself, making the most ofher limited screen time and making Deborah the most memorable character ofthe film.The supporting cast includes Gina Gershon (Billie), Paul Dooley (Walter),Carrie Preston (Patty), Tracy Letts (Zack), Sharon McNight (Leslie), SandraOh (Cindy), Grace Una (April) and Jasmine Guy (Linda). Though not a filmwith which you can get too emotionally involved, `Guinevere' has it'smoments and does manage to maintain interest. The characters are realenough, but they evoke a sense of ambivalence; these are not people you arenecessarily going to like or dislike. In the final analysis, it's a goodfilm, and worth seeing-- but with the possible exception of Smart'scharacter, there is nothing especially memorable or compelling about it. Irate this one 6/10.

2012-05-11 16:00:54

May-December in an artist's loft

If you have seen the anthology film "New York Stories", you may recall the memorable Martin Scorcese segment about the older painter (Nick Nolte) and his young female "protege" (Rosanna Arquette). "Guinevere" is basically an extended feature-length meditation on the same story; it just swaps a photographer for a painter and a San Francisco locale for NYC. Stephen Rea portrays the manipulative Svengali with his usual glazed, expressionless mask (one of those actors who directs all his energy into the character's "rich inner life", or just a consistently wooden performer? Discuss). Sarah Polley gives an understated performance as Rea's young "student".Some of Woody Allen's "Manhattan" territory is also retread, but the performances are compelling enough to keep your interest. There is a near Oscar-worthy supporting performance from Jean Smart, as Polley's outspoken mother, who really eats up her limited screen time; she is quite memorable in a key confrontation with Rea's character where she verbally takes him apart, but in a sly and subtle fashion. The movie is marred by slight over-length and a final scene that seems out-of-place and a bit too theatrically "stagey"; but definitely is worth a look on a slow night.

nanklee 2012-05-05 00:15:01

As cheesy as Breezy

Guinevere opens with lovely opening credits showing various body partphotos. It soon unveils its plot detail of a nearly 30-year agedifference between lovers Connie (Rea) and Harper (Polley). The filmconveys a quiet suspense, at least until the final act. Will thisparticular romance break Connie's sad, Rod Stewart-like dating pattern?Good performances by all, especially the women. No one does torturedindie girl on the inside/ethereal WASP on the outside better thanPolley. Jean Smart, as others here have mentioned, is a scene stealerwhen she gives Connie a piece of her prickly mind. Gina Gershon andSandra Oh are on too briefly.Despite these strengths, I had this nagging feeling I was watchingsomething disingenuous. Someone who looks like Harper never got hit onin college, if ever? Was she that wrapped up in herself so as not toobserve others? In a scene where Harper is grabbing coffees from a cafécounter, a young male employee and an older male customer are checkingher out, and she knows it. Nothing about her looks different, exceptfor her more frequent grin and a bright blue tank top. I'm assumingthat her new confidence is radiating and that's what's catching guys'eyes, but come on.Big spoiler: Near the end, alcoholism takes its toll on Connie. So, howto prepare for his death? Gather the ex-girlfriends for a pre-memorial,of course! At least he didn't racially discriminate when choosinglovers; it was just the pesky age thing for him. Soon after, he isgiven an eye roller of a group photo of the exes, and before he diesHarper describes the afterlife (purgatory?) to him -- complete withvisuals that rival a cosmetics ad.A much better story about a photographer in an odd relationship isProof, starring Hugo Weaving.

landau_yael 2012-05-04 21:54:45

true story

who ever is interested. i stumbled on this movie completely byaccident, and once i began i couldn't stop.you know why? it was true. ijust got it. i got it because i was just leaving a relationship likethat, that i think- marked me for life. this movie shows something sotrue, true in a sense that their is no right or wrong, and in some wayit really makes me think. it makes me see things in perspective,relationships, and how we fail to observe them while engaged in them.once i saw this movie- i felt i was looking at myself, and also nothating my ex-partner (a very much disturbed older paragrapher. offcourse- it made me view it in a very romantic way, that i enjoyed. itwas painterly to see in harper how innocent i am.or was. for sure- i amno longer at that stage in life. thanks to him.he wasn't a bad guy- andi was too blinded to see how mixed up he was.

Rose-35 2012-05-03 22:54:55

Good film

I was going into this film expecting not to like it. The only reason Iwatched it was because I'm a big fan of Sarah Polley. I wouldn't say it'sthe best film and wouldn't make my top ten, but it was enjoyable. Polleyseems to be doing a lot of "dark" films lately. I think she wants to getaway from her "Road to Avonlea" image. Anyway, I think this is one of herbetter films, esp. when compared to The Life Before This and The SweetHereafter. I give it a 7/10.

Sigrid Jakob 2012-05-03 12:58:29

One of the worst movies I've ever seen

I couldn't believe how awful this movie was. It was virtually free ofredeemingfeatures. Poor Sarah Polley desperately tries to save the thingsinglehandedlybut with lines like that nobody can.These were some of the things that really grated:Complete absence of likeable characters (he a sad lech, she a dimwittedgirlie,her family standard-issue clichZd stiffs, and a pathetic rent-a-bohemiancrowdwhose role in the movie was decorative (as in house plants) rather thanintegral).A plot anyone could have filled in after the first fiveminutesDialogue that would have been embarrassing in a 70s movie (the old art vscommerce debate - please!; quaint words like 'capitalism' and'bourgeoisie';"Iam studying your form" - aaaaargh)Generic feel-good scenes straight out of Newton cigaretteadsCheesy, unironic musicComplete ignorance of the principles of photography (photographers do notwork like that).Perhaps excusable if it had been made by an older guy - but a woman?Girls,we can do better

Robert J. Maxwell 2012-04-27 18:33:27

Good Performers in Formula Movie.

Sarah Polley is Harper Sloane, also known as Guinevere, atwenty-year-old blond who has just graduated with a degree inphotography. She's from a middle-class family in San Francisco. And she(inevitably) falls in with the older ex wedding photographer, Rea, whois now a Beatnik loose cannon with a camera. Her family disapproves.Polley is drawn towards Rea. His very touch turns her on. She moves inwith him and puts up with his erratic behavior, by which I meanthrowing her out, borrowing money, getting drunk, smoking, and probablyleaving the toilet seat up.Yes, there are tears aplenty in this story of a young woman's gettingin touch with her feelings. But there are good times, gay times, too,and of the sort that every woman loves. After one split-up, Reacaptures her on the street and pulls her to a loft where an enormousand abandoned party for Polley's twenty-first birthday is in progress.Next, Rea takes her to the sunny, wind-blown roof of an officebuilding, where he has built a tall structure of wooden beams with aneasy chair and floor lamp atop, for her to sit it, a cockamamie throne."It's inSANE!", she cries with delight. "And it's all FREE!", shoutsRea, flinging his arms wide.Of course, little do they know that tragedy always lies just around thecorner. But we know, don't we? The writing isn't bad at all. There's adelicious scene around the bleak dinner table at Polley's opulent home.Nobody speaks. They all struggle quietly to pick up their Chinese foodwith chopsticks, until Jean Smart -- having shed her earlier mannerismsand giving a fine performance as Polley's mother -- has every sullenperson read his or her fortune cookie aloud and add "in bed" to the endof the prophecy. Nobody laughs. The atmosphere is that of the AtacamaDesert.Well, some individual scenes may be neatly written and executed, butthe plot is extraordinarily dull because it's so familiar. This is thestuff that women are interested in. Men don't give a damn aboutbirthdays and anniversaries and intimate talk. The on-and-offattraction between an older experienced artistic type (they're neveraccountants) and a naive young girl who needs him to help her find herown way in life, it's the stuff of Danielle Steel.I didn't catch the end. I calculate that either Polley defiantly throwsoff the influence of her breeding and takes off on a life of love andadventure with the droopy-faced Rea. Or she comes to her senses and theaudience must sit through a bittersweet parting, perhaps with ayounger, richer, more handsome man (who has loved her from afar)waiting in the background. Either way, I couldn't care.It's appalling because I like Steven Rea and I love Sarah Polley. Reais an appealing and self-effacing actor who never overplays. He wasmarvelous in the HBO film, "Citizen X." I haven't seen much of Polleyin her blond, pale, blue-eyed, fragility, but she gave unforgettableperformances in at least two movies -- "The Sweet Hereafter" and "TheWeight of Water." Yet she gets stuck in junk like "Splice" and "Dawn ofthe Dead." And this.

2012-04-27 13:03:26

Heart-breakingly Real

I'd highly recommend this film to anyone, but especially to anyfemale artist, musician, actor who has come of age. This isn'tso much about a May-December romance: it is about the student/mentor bond which can be incredibly strong and intense,and an aging artist who through Harper, is trying to hold ontohis past youth and the artistic potential he once had.This could have been such a sappy movie, but the acting and writing kept that from happening. I agree with another reviewer - it was NOT predictable, and the acting was so real. Sarah Polley is great, but Stephen Rea absolutely broke my heart.These characters were not romanticized: they were multi-dimentional, human. There was good and not so good about them.Connie Fitzgerald did manipulate and seduce Harper, but it was also clear that he really loved her. It was clear as well, that Harper knew what she was getting herself into and it was her choice ultimately. My only reservation was that some of the family members (father,sister) were one-dimensional to the point where it was hard tobelieve. Perhaps that was how Harper saw them, or perhaps thatwas done to set-off the volatile emotional intensity of the mother (Jean Smart, who was also good), and the repressed/about-to-emerge artistic intensity of Harper. I am a die-hard Stephen Rea fan after seeing this film.

timhebb-1 2012-04-25 16:34:55

Bittersweet coming of age story, well told and observed

This comment was motivated largely by the desire to offset those herewhich casually dismissed or trashed "Guinevere" and, inexplicably,writer/director Audrey Wells personally with unnecessary and unprovokedvenom."Guinevere" is a fine and engaging tale that plausibly sketches the arcof the relationship and romance between the daughter of a pair ofsociety attorneys of Pacific Heights pedigree and a bohemianphotographer who lives life on the edge financially and on the fringesocially. Sarah Polley as the confused but very-well brought-up,faintly rebellious 21-year-old Harper, and Stephen Rea as the 40-ishsometime wedding photographer, Connie, whose charm eventually wearsthin, are both well cast and provide exemplary realizations ofwell-drawn characters. The entire cast, in fact, is strong and deep, with fine turns from suchactors as Sandra Oh, Jean Smart, Paul Dooley, Jasmine Guy and GinaGershon. The production and cinematography are first-rate as well.As the relationship deepens and its contours become clearer to both theaudience and to Harper, the script deftly plumbs its pleasures and itsperils. By subtly adopting Harper's point of view, the film takes us onthe same emotional journey that she does, from the initial drunkendelight of first love, to the later disappointments and, eventually,the despair. In the end one feels that Harper, like the sensitive viewer, decidesthat it was all worth it.If this engaging, well-crafted, unpretentious film has a weakness, Iwould point to the denouement, which is reminiscent of Fellini's "81/2" by reassembling all of Connie's former loves to bid him an upbeatfarewell when he is diagnosed with a fatal illness. Though it pressesto induce good will, it doesn't really earn it. This is a writer'sescape, a fantasy that retreats from an inevitable reality a bit toobitter to swallow without added sugar.Despite this lapse, "Guinevere" rewards an attentive viewer richly withthis otherwise honest, unblinkered story of first love undone in partby the unbridgeable, ancient chasms of age and social strata.

Red-125 2012-04-25 10:08:13

Stay away from this awful film!

Guinevere, for which I had high hopes, is a disaster. The basic story line(young woman falls in love with olderman) is not the problem. The problem is that we are supposed to accept thepremise that Harper Sloan (Sarah Polley) is an insecure, naive, helplessyoung woman. Suspending disbelief is one thing, but swallowing thisnonsense is out of the question. We are told to believe that Sarah Polley,at age 20, needs something or someone to appreciate her for what she canbecome. Sarah's character, Harper, is a beautiful, wealthy, college-educatedresident of the San Francisco Bay Area. There is no way in the world shewould still be this uninformed, inexperienced, and helpless. She has donewell enough at college to be accepted into Harvard Law School. If we are tobelieve the film, she is incapable of any intelligent or creative thought oraction. From what college did she graduate? Was she asleep for four years? Was she asleep for 20 years? The only scene with any hint of reality or intelligence was the one in whichHarper's mother, played well by Jean Smart, confronts the older man. SarahPolley is beautiful and talented; she is wasted in this turkey. [For a filmin which the director utilizes the talents of a young actor, avoid Guinevereand see Natalie Portman in Anywhere but Here.]