The Best Offer
Starring: Geoffery Rush, Silvia Hoeks, Jim Sturgess, Donald Sutherland
Directed By: Giuseppe Tornatore
Reviewed by Danielle Muir
[rating: 4/5]
Exquisite. Every element of this film is a work of art. It’s been a while since such refined, elegant filmmaking graced our screens and we all come out feeling a little classier for it.
Geoffery Rush is a marvel as Virgil Oldman, one of the world’s most prestigious art valuers and auctioneers. He’s extremely anti-social and meticulous. He dines at the finest restaurants. His grande apartment is filled with antique furniture. But it’s his secret collection of paintings which is most impressive. A hidden room in his apartment opens to an immense room filled with portraits of women only, all of which he treasures dearly. Rush plays Oldman theatrical to the nines, and his dialogue seems to have been crafted for a stage play, but everything about his performance works flawlessly.
Enter Claire (Hoeks), a young woman suffering from agoraphobia who wishes Oldman to evaluate the antique furniture in her immense villa. Initially frustrated, Virgil slowly begins to form a relationship with the woman behind the wall and their conversations certainly stray from strictly art. Virgil finds himself developing an obsession with the tumultuous Claire, the only woman he’s ever come close to having any kind of relationship with.
The incredible thing about the two leads’ relationship is that it’s entirely believable. The film takes its time to flesh out the interactions between the two, and firmly holds our attention by creating an almost thriller-like tone as Virgil’s obsession grows.
The film is a jigsaw – and like all good puzzles, the satisfaction of watching all the pieces fall into place is magnificent. Fantastic supporting roles by Jim Sturgess and Donald Sutherland keep you guessing until the end, and provide wonderful foils for Virgil to further exemplify his nature. There’s a wonderful subplot between Virgil and Sturgess’ Robert, a wiz at tinkering with mechanical objects, as the two attempt to put together a very expensive robot-like device made from random pieces around Claire’s villa – whilst the latter teachers the former the ways of women. In addition Sutherland is warm and inviting Billy Whistler, Virgil’s partner in crime who helps him rig certain auctions so that he can get his hands on another beautiful woman’s portrait.
To say anymore would be to give the game away, but when the relationship, events and plot culminates, its beautiful. My only qualm is that the film should have concluded a few steps earlier but it’s a small fish in a big, antique pond.
