A Late Quartet [Blu-ray]

Indeed it is. The word “gem” is tossed around, most times to films that do not deserve the label. This one deserves this title and is a genuine gem. The Late Quartet intelligently gives us a glance into the dynamics of talented individuals in a classical string quartet, and how those dynamics are frayed when external circumstances get in the way of their cohesion. One person discovers he may have Parkinsons Disease, endangering his career. Another person’s marriage with his wife, another member of this close group, is falling apart, and is caught red-handed cheating on his wife. Another person is having an affair with the daughter of this colleague and friend.The Late Quartet is a story of a string quartet of colleagues who have been playing music together for twenty five years, their trials, inner resentments, and tribulations. This human drama and the music made by the quartet is handled with grace, sensitivity, and authentic emotion to produce a highly satisfying film experience. It shows how these individuals overcome the personal tensions and continue with their devotion to their music.The Late Quartet gives us a glimpse into the personal lives of these classical musicians. The performances display utter and complete authenticity and honesty. Christopher Walken plays against character, and convincingly shows the warmth, patience, and knowledge of the quasi-leader of the quartet. It is one of the best performances in his career. Phillip Seymore Hoffman is simply unbelievable as the husband with a marriage in crisis. The roles, indeed, of all actors are spot-on.With this general scenario the story could have easily descended into tawdry melodrama. But it doesn’t. Instead, we see that even the rarefied world of classical musicians experience ordinary human crises and emotions. This is a moving movie experience.Amid all the drama the music is not forgotten. The music — from Beethoven’s Late String Quartets, hence the title — plays a prominent part in the movie. When the internal tensions finally explode, the Music remains, but in ways you would not expect. This is, as indicated a genuine gem, and cannot be missed.

This film deals with a fictional classical string quartet. They are trying to work their way through Beethoven's astonishing Op 131 string quartet. Those not familiar with classical music can still enjoy this movie because its not just about the music they are playing. Its about the player's realtionships and what it takes for four people to come together and have their performances express the intentions of the composer. This not just deals with playing the notes but the player's ability to express the meaning, emotion and nuances that the composer intended. It will never be possible to get in to Beethoven's head, so to speak, but great players can come close. The problem that is happening in this movie is that the behavior of the players threatens to dismantel the quartet. One who is married has a one night stand. Another takes up a doomed relationship with the daugther of two that are in the ensemble. The key player, played by Christopher Walken (a great performance) is dealing with the onset of Parkinsons and has to deal with his situation and what the group needs to do to stay together. The whole thing becomes a real mess but, as viewers will see, the players figure out how to get it together (we think) and go on. At the end I wondered if they could really stay together. But, during a performance when Waklen has to call it quits they all touch the score of Op 131 meaning that great music will sound great only if the players are unified and can work togther. Also, as Walken says in the movie, the players have to respect the music. This is a good movie and classical buffs will get special pleaasure out of it. I gave it four stars out of five as I thought the story is a little soap-opera-ish but that's OK. Its still a good movie. After I saw this movie I grabbed my copy of the op 131 and played it. The movie helped me understand it better. It should be noted that ths film also has special insight into great paintings. There is a scene is a museum that I loved. Also, its worth mentioning that the great classical mezzo-soprano, Anne Sophie Von Otter, has a very short cameo. Too bad she did not have more screen time. She is the best. BTW, another reviewer said that Melissa Leo is in this movie. She is not. What movie was he watching?

This is a fine, insightful drama about the relationships of an acclaimed string quartet and the strains the group come under when one of them develops a possibly career-ending condition.Christopher Walken gives an emotional, heart-felt performance as the elder member – and cellist – of the quartet; his speech to his students near the beginning of the film, when he explains that Beethoven's String Quartet no.14 requires the musicians to play together continuously throughout, inevitably requiring adjustments in tuning, pretty much describes the journey the musicians as people have to make in the drama as cracks in the unity of the group begin to open, threatening the very existence of the 25-year-old chamber group.It is a very nuanced piece, beautifully filmed against the glorious spectacle of a New York winter and with an ensemble of top acting talent to equal the serious and dedicated musicians of the fictional Fugue Quartet themselves.It is a drama that reveals the chemistry and finely balanced discipline of high-end musical performance, together with the humanity that underscores the intensity of working together as artists and accepting (and overcoming) the flaws in each other.The DVD is a shade sparse on extras; only a theatrical trailer and English subtitles – you may have to adjust the screen settings on your particular TV/DVD player to get them to display fully.

I was disappointed on inquiry to be told that my local cinema would not be showing A Late Quartet due to distributor problems. The film had received very good reviews in the press and it sounded like my kind of film. One critic said it was a change to find a 'film for grown ups' and I would say that remark summed it up completely. The story revolves around the leader of the quartet who is diagnosed with parkinsons disease. He realises that his playing days are over and that a replacement must be found. There is a love triangle thread interwoven and it is important for the viewer to get all the family relationships within the quartet sorted out in his/her mind as soon as possible. Happily with a DVD it is always possible to recap.There is some music for string quartets in the film but the passages are not overlong so if you don't care for classical music it will not interfere with your enjoyment of the film. I found one of the interesting parts of this film to be the explanation of the dynamics of the quartet. Being totally ignorant of how they work, I learned quite a bit along the way about the role of the 1st and 2nd violin. I never did find a cinema that was showing the film but the DVD compensates very well. Just don't expect car chases, gratuitous violence or much in the way of sex.

This is an intelligent, subtle, moving, mature and thoughtful film exploring the consequences of an inevitable decision made by the oldest member of a professional string quartet. When the cello player of The Fugue Quartet decides that the time has come to step down the ripple effects are profound as underlying vulnerabilities, tensions and emotions come to the fore in this outstanding movie. The internal dynamics of a close-knit classical musical ensemble are skilfully teased out with the actors delivering quality performances. However, for me it is the music which dominates and how could it be otherwise? The film made me realise how long it had been since I had listened to Beethoven’s late quartets and prompted me to reach for my Lindsay String Quartet CD collection.

Production companies often create films as competitive marketing devices, (eg, On the Beach vs Dr Strangelove). This seems to have been released in the same rough timeframe as "Quartet", a light comic character study utilizing the talents of Maggie Smith and Billy Connolly, directed by Dustin Hoffman, of all people, and that one's a lovely little film. This is something else. This is a film which pulls no punches about the Intensity of the familial relationships in a classical quartet as members grow old and live their error-prone lives, as we all do, a sort of Fabulous Baker Boys with violins and an even better script. Age in Dustin Hoffman's film is gauzy and sweet, if challenging. Here it is an oncoming force, a storm against which only the noblest have strength to show, and only the luckiest can endure. Their music is their only weapon, and their bonds of love, their only armour. Phillip Seymour Hoffman was and always shall be an actor's actor, and Christopher Walken is always at his level best playing relatively normal, if gifted, people. This is a an unforgettable, O'Neill-esque masterpiece.

Reviews, by definition, are entirely subjective; but, if it's a delicately-controlled and understated drama dealing with the human condition you're looking for, then this might be for you.It hinges on, and revolves around, the wider complexities of Beethoven's late works - in particular one quartet - and pulls from the same well that TS Eliot would crank his bucket into in later years with Prufrock. It provokes many questions, but, as with the highest of arts, leaves us to find the answers within ourselves.