Endless Love (2014)

Year: 2014
Running Time: 103 minutes
Director: Shana Feste
Writers: Scott Spencer (novel), Shana Feste and Joshua Safran (screenplay)
Cast: Gabriella Wilde, Alex Pettyfer, Bruce Greenwood, Joely Richardson, Robert Patrick, Rhys Wakefield, Dayo Okeniyi, Emma Rigby

Endless Love is now showing everywhere and is distributed in Australia by Universal Pictures.

If you need one word to describe Endless Love, that word would be familiar. The word familiar is chosen not only because it is a remake of the 1981 film of the same name, but also because it is a concept we have seen numerous times on the screen. The story of star-crossed lovers who's parents don't agree with their relationship is anything but new and Endless Love has no real point of difference to make it stand out from the rest of the pack.

David Elliot (Alex Pettyfer) has always had eyes for the beautiful and privileged, but extremely innocent and reserved Jade Butterfield (Gabriella Wilde) through their high school years. The two never spoke a word to each other until upon finishing school, a chance encounter at the country club which Davis works at uncovers the attraction between the two and when David comes to the rescue at Jade's graduation party, they are inseparable. However, Jane's overprotective father (Bruce Greenwood) is less than thrilled with his only daughter dating a boy with a troubled past like David who distracts her from her career path. Both their families soon find that nothing they do can keep David and Jade apart.

There is absolutely nothing original about Endless Love. Many have and will continue to question why the 1981 film even needed to be remade. You can almost understand why Shana Feste wanted to bring this tale to the screen once more, as the 1981 film hardly seems relevant or overly well known in todays society. This 2014 version has the inclusion of mobile phones playing a vital part of the relationship as is the case with relationships today, but the overall quality of the two films doesn't really differ a great deal. The earlier film wasn't and still isn't seen as a particularly critical success and neither is this film. In remaking this film you would hope that Feste was hoping to improve on the original, but the film is mediocre at best.

Endless Love is absolutely void of emotion. For a romance film to actually be successful (unless it has a comedy element to it), it has to be moving. This film is not as it just feels so weak. You feel no tension, sadness, happiness or anger throughout the film. The love between David and Jade is sweet, but not relatable or captivating. The real target audience for this film is that of teenage girls who will love the film because it will represent what they hope their first love will be like. For this audience there doesn't need to be any powerful emotions, just something that is light and fluffy and Endless Love is definitely this. The film has been released at the perfect time which is Valentines Day. So even though the audience that will get the most out of this film is younger, it will generate a wider audience who will be able to accept it's content. Whether Endless Love is a film of a high standard is almost irrelevant as it is appropriate either way for the Valentines time of the year.

There are some interesting choices in the cinematography here. There are various montages of the way David and Jade spend their time together. Some of these montages are worthwhile, but others (such as the firecracker scene) would have benefitted more from a continuous shot which would have enhanced the emotional impact of the film by understanding more about the relationship between David and Jade. This would have then led to a bigger feeling of disappointment and sadness for the two when things were not going as planned.

While not an emotionally charged film or a particularly well written film, it is actually a very well cast film. All the roles have the best actors for the part in them and it is a shame they haven't been given more to work with. The characters themselves are the best part of the screenplay as there is great character development for each one of them. Alex Pettyfer does well and gives no reason for people to dislike him. His David is very likable and you always believe the best about him in every circumstance. He and Gabriella Wilde work very well together on screen and physically look perfect as a couple. Wilde is extremely sweet and a perfect choice for the role of Jade with her angelic looks. Both Pettyfer and Wilde have moments where you feel they are on the verge of showing their true potential, but don't have the opportunity to meet that potential in this film.

Joely Richardson is wonderful as Jade's mother, Anne. She is the type of mother you would love to have in a situation you hate to see a good woman in. Bruce Greenwood is also very good as the possessive father, Hugh. He is extremely unreasonable, possessive and often emotionally detached from his family, qualities one would hate in an in-law. Yet with all these he is so interesting to watch. Robert Patrick, who plays David's father Harry, is also very good.

With Endless Love you don't get what you want out of a romance film. However, as it is a Valentines Day release, you can reluctantly accept it.

4/10

Anonymous

Anonymous

Year: 2011

Director: Roland Emmerich

Cast: Rhys Ifans, Vanessa Redgrave, Joely Richardson, Sebastian Armesto,

Before I begin my review….

                So Anonymous isn’t sitting well with those at Stratford-Upon-Avon. I can’t imagine why (sarcasm intended here).

                Although I think the whole concept of Anonymous makes for a great story and conspiracy theory, I’m not really convinced. I know it is impossible for me to say with any great confidence as I was not alive in Tudor England (funny that) and therefore do not know any people who could have been involved in the “cover up”. All research I do on the internet on this subject is completely non-conclusive and doesn’t really present anything else that I hadn’t heard in Anonymous.               

                There is also no real evidence that Queen Elizabeth I gave birth to any illegitimate children let alone as many as they say in the film.  There’s always at least one commoner in history who wants to tell the whole world that they have or are*insert famous person name here* illegitimate child. In Tudor times there was no way to tell whether it was true or not unless the Queen herself came forth and said that it was true. It does sound like a fun idea to make believe, doesn’t it? You may get treated like royalty and may earn a few shillings! Or people may think you are crazy.

                Anyway, I am a fan of Shakespeare and of Tudor England so it was all fun and interesting to me either way.

Review

                Was Shakespeare a fraud?

It doesn’t really matter when it comes down to it in this case, just as long as the film is entertaining and brings people into the cinemas. The subject matter is certainly interesting in Anonymous and the controversy surrounding it is enough to make people want to come in and find out what all the fuss is about. It is interesting enough, but there seems to be something missing.

In Tudor England under the rule of Queen Elizabeth I (Vanessa Redgrave), the stage is gaining in popularity with the emergence of actor turned play writer, William Shakespeare (Rafe Spall). However, Ben Johnson (Sebastian Armesto) knows the truth…that Will Shakespeare is illiterate and all his plays were written by Edward De Vere, Earl of Oxford (Rhys Ifans). The Earl has to keep his name hidden due to his and his plays personal connection to royalty.      

There are some terrific moments in Anonymous and some moments where you wish the film would just hurry up and get on with it.

The opening of the film is an interesting choice by director Roland Emmerich. It does work as an introduction, but there are other more fitting ways the film could have begun that would have been more fitting for the story and time period. Some of the editing is also a bit of a strange choice and the flashback sequences are a bit erratic.

Visually, the whole film is stunning and it is a beautiful period piece. The costumes, especially those of the Queen, are amazing.

The script, written by John Orloff, is tight and very clever, never forgetting that this was taking part nearly 500 years ago and the language needs to always be appropriate of that time. It contains lots of historical fun facts and is a good learning experience for all the audience.

The part of the film that lacks the most is that it does go for about half an hour longer than what it should. It isn’t boring as a result as such, but more just takes a bit longer than what it should to get to the point.

There are some really credible performances in Anonymous, yet no actual feeling of being emotionally connected to any of the characters. Perhaps the only character you feel really attached to and have some sort of feeling to is Edward De Vere, Earl of Oxford  as Rhys Ifans. This role is the best of his career so far and he is truly superb in it.

Mother and daughter team of Vanessa Redgrave and Joely Richardson are wonderful as the young and older Queen Elizabeth.  Richardson brings out both the sweet and fiery side of the younger Elizabeth and Redgrave is completely memorable in her portrayal as the older Elizabeth. It is not often we see Elizabeth at the end of her reign on screen and she is wonderful.

Sebastian Armesto’s performance seems like it is almost supposed to be comical at times, even though this is not the intention. One of his first scenes when he bursts onto the stage in rage of his play being received wrongly, it almost seems like a Monty Python.

Jamie Campbell Bower is wonderful as the young Oxford and continues his good form and rise to fame with this film.

If not a little far-fetched and a little too long, still an interesting and half an entertaining watch.

6.5/10