Youth (2015)

Youth is one of the movies that will visually manipulate you to know the story without even a written lyrics, I love the tableaus in the beginning of the film and how the story and character develop. Also, the story is well derive and will make you see how characters evolve from time to time.

Gaspingly pretentious portrait of characters at a resort hotel and spa in the Swiss Alps. Michael Caine is a British widower and retired symphony conductor--an annual guest at the spa for some 20 years--who refuses a request from an emissary of the Queen of England to conduct again for Prince Philip's birthday celebration. Caine's grown daughter is temporarily staying with him; she's distraught over her recent breakup with the son of another guest, screenwriter Harvey Keitel, an exercise-friend of Caine's who commiserates with him over their combined years and non-working body parts. Other guests include a rock-climbing instructor, a film actor, assorted child prodigies, a beauty contest winner, et al. Writer-director Paolo Sorrentino has a grandiose visual concept, which he makes clear within the film's first 10 minutes; however, his artistically-composed shots of naked, sagging bodies (usually slumped over in states of depression, inert in the steam rooms or floating aimlessly in the swimming pools) are not especially pointed or amusing. The shots call attention themselves, probably to distract the viewer from the lack of substance in the writing (or interest in the central characters). Caine, pinkish-white like a rabbit, seems to look out at the world with bleary eyes--but is this the character or simply the actor in bad physical shape? Keitel doesn't appear very spry either, but the worst is saved for Jane Fonda (in a bad blonde wig) as a jaded, foulmouthed actress just in from Los Angeles (she asks Keitel expository questions to set the scene: "How long have we known each other, Mick?"). "Youth" flatlines at the one-hour mark--with another 63 minutes on the clock. * from ****

must have been the alternative title to this Film (with a capital F).There is a fine line kept throughout the narrative: somewhere between the real and surreal, making the identification with the characters easier than unusual, while allowing for most surreal situations and dialog.Rachel Weisz, Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel and Paul Dano really brought their respective roles to life. The many small roles were enriching as well, especially Jane Fonda's wonderful cameo!But there were two other stars which made this Film a masterpiece in artistic collaboration: the cinematographer Luca Bigazzi, whose every frame is worthy of a wall to hang from and David Lang whose original music brought it all together.Writing, directing, filming, performances and music, in this particular case, make for great Cinema… I was touched to tears.

Youth is a poor film with a lousy plot and a terrific cast that deserved far better than this script. The cast is the only thing it really has going for itself if I am being honest, Michael Caine shines, as always in the lead role, he has a great back and forth with Harvey Keitel and Rachel Weisz, making their poor dialogue a lot more bearable. It tries so hard to make us feel something. There are a lot of scenes that are meant to be hard hitting, dialogue that is supposed to be brutally honest, but it never gives us a real reason to feel for these characters or care for their heartache. They are all unlikeable and I felt no need to want to see them succeed. As well as that, it is tonally all over the place, it jumps from intense drama to gross out comedy, it can never make up its mind on what it wants to be. The film has both an emotional monologue from Caine in which he talks about his love for his daughter and a scene where two old men watch a naked woman slowly enter a hot tub, it also has singer Paloma Faith playing herself in it. All around, pure ridiculous. Ineffective in every way, Youth was not for me and I could not possibly recommend it. A retired composer and his filmmaking friend reflect on their lives and the prospects of aging. Best Performance: Michael Caine / Worst Performance: Paloma Faith