Venus Reviews

• How Not to Go Quietly

  
  By A1TJPMB7N776WS on 2007-02-18
  
  If you are just a little bit lucky in life and in love someone will think of you as a "Venus" or a "David" (as in Michelangelo). And for better or worse Maurice (a terrific, sensitive, thoughtful performance by Peter O'Toole) feels this way about a young woman Jessie (Jodie Whittaker in a strong debut). And though at first Jessie resists the friendship and mentorship of Maurice she soon realizes that this man who offers his love and companionship, wants her in as selfless a manner as possible. Maurice is attracted to the youth, vigor and life in Jessie and she is attracted to his just slightly more than platonic attraction to her. Both Maurice and Jesse have agendas but they are not hidden as is usually the case in this type of lopsided relationship. Both are unabashedly upfront and without pretense.
  Director Roger Michell and particularly writer Hanif Kureishi ("My Beautiful Launderette") are tackling some important ideas here: slightly more advanced platonic love (oddly stated but nothing is really clear-cut in this film), how we as a society tend to discard the over 60 generation, the possibility of physical love after 60 or 70 , how the fervent and physical love between young people often matures into deep friendship and respect but sometimes doesn't and more importantly how our friends can ease our path into old age.
  Of special note here are the wonderful scenes between O'Toole and Vanessa Redgrave as his ex-wife and mother of his children. There is a palpable longing and regret in these scenes: these two know each other as no one else does and despite this they love each other with that special kind of love reserved for people who have seen and experienced each other's worst self.
  "Venus" is a remarkable film about loss, love and about the possibilities of life after 40...if not 60, 70 and 80. Maurice adamantly refuses to "go gently into that good night" without a fight, a slug of Scotch, a bracing cup of Tea and a knowing wink to a pretty girl.
  
  
  

• Irresistible

  
  By A3EE0H0NWQ9QVL on 2007-03-13
  The healing power of beauty is ageless. 'Venus' takes this theme all the way to the curtain call in the life of Morris Russell (Peter O'Toole). As a famous actor at the sunset of his life and career, his memory and desire are for beauty. This desire is rekindled when he meets his friend, Ian's, (Leslie Phillips) niece. Jessie (Jodie Whittaker), becomes for him that Venus, the ideal of female beauty. For the film to work and maintain its credibility, the mutual affection would have to suspend our disbelief. At first she ignores him as a boring, old codger--to the point of rudeness. That's realistic enough. But she does not merely reawaken his desire for feminine beauty that was at its zenith when he was a handsome young actor, he does for Venus what she desires. She wishes to be admired. Added to that his wit and charm, and he's the alternative to the limitations of virile--yet callow--youth. Besides they seldom know Shakespeare's sonnets, let alone are able to passionately quote them like he does. Theirs is a mutual arrangement. He spends money and time with her, and she gives him a marginal amount of space to enjoy her youthful effervescence. Each brings a measure of sweetness the other lacks. ("Do you believe in anything, Morris?" she asks. "Pleasure, I like," he replies, "I like to give pleasure.") Indeed, when she doesn't prove to be dependable, there's still much for him to lean upon. Ian provides more than a commiserating "Grumpier Old Men" companionship. They both share the rage, laughter, and angst of life's final chapters. Their jokes make the film funny without detouring into cheap, dirty-old men routines. The humor only brings about our sympathy. Heartwarming and sadly funny, the friendship is as enduring as his legacy. (When he has a prostate operation, Ian asks why he didn't tell him. "I hate sympathy," he says. "You wouldn't have gotten any from me," Ian counters. "I know, you're a true friend," Morris replies.) Then, when Jessie isn't available, she stirs enough of his own desirability to rekindle an old flame. Valerie, played with realistic zest by Vanessa Redgrave, provides the power of love and forgiveness to ferment the mix.
  
  Between O'Toole's Oscar nominated performance, and a story that makes the seemingly impossible real, `Venus' makes the whole exchange believable currency. 'Venus' does for romance what 'Rocky Balboa' did for boxing. It can be said that our youth and beauty worshipping culture often misses the boat and overlooks the wisdom and experience of the aged. `Venus' reminds us of what it is like to be articulate and romantic, a lesson sage in itself.
  
  
  

• Great acting, debatable script.

  
  By A1FG91CM8221X1 on 2007-02-25
  According to this morning's Washington Post, when fans ask Peter O'Toole what his new film "Venus" is about, he answers, "It's the story of a dirty old man and a young slut of a woman." Unfortunately, that description is right on target, and that is what makes it hard to care much about this film as a whole, although the acting is absolutely impeccable. O'Toole, who is seventy-four and looks even older, milks every conceivable ounce of humor, subtlety, depth and pathos from the character of Maurice Russell, an old actor whose life has marked similarities to O'Toole's own. Maurice has messed up his entire life by his inability to stop chasing every skirt he sees, but although he has some regrets, his randy spirit remains indomitable even as his body fails him. However, this still fails to explain his infatuation with Jessie (Jodie Whittaker), the sullen, selfish niece of a crotchety old actor friend (Leslie Phillips). Whittaker is a good actress, and though she's no great beauty, she has an interesting, almost Vermeer-like face, especially when photographed in the chiaroscuro lighting favored by director Roger Michell. But the character of Jessie is so unappealing--at least until the obligatory change of heart toward the end--that it's hard to understand why Maurice is so besotted with her, or to root for their relationship. Michell and his frequent collaborator, screenwriter Hanif Kureishi, are well-known for their ability to unsettle an audience, particularly in films like "The Mother." In "Venus," however, they mostly just annoy the audience, though again the performances by O'Toole and the others are enough to make the film worth seeing. Watch for a strong turn by Vanessa Redgrave as Maurice's ex-wife, who still loves him and depends on him even though she's not about to forgive him.
  
  

• Death in "Venus"

  
  By A2BDZAU0Y4J6NB on 2007-05-26
  "Venus" is a parable about the inevitability of time and the impermanence of love. The story is a variation on the theme of the dying man, smitten with lost youth and opportunity, which is revived----ever-so-briefly----via the persona of a beautiful young creature. Thus the aging actor Maurice--played with subtle poignancy by Peter O'Toole--who is captivated by the attractive, but rough-about-the-edges niece of another old actor and friend, is reminiscent of the aging composer Aschenbach, who yearns for the beautiful and unobtainable young Tadziu in Visconti's "Death in Venice." "Venus," in fact, portrays the unsatisfactory scenario of what might have occurred had Aschenbach realized his relationship with Tadziu. Like "Venice," "Venus" connects Love with Death, who, cast in a cameo role, overtakes its protagonist on a lonely beach. Unlike "Venice," however, "Venus" casts no sunset glow on the death of the actor Maurice, whose exit is both lonely and ignominious--a dirty business with a catheter tube and bag strapped to his leg.
  
  "Venus," however, is laced with laughter as well as tears, as when the two once-famous thespian friends make the rounds of their old London haunts, including a church with the memorial plaques to long-dead actors, such as Laurence Harvey. When Maurice notes that the church is running out of wall space for such commemorations, his friend Ian--played with equal professionalism by Leslie Phillips--tells him wistfully that "Ian" is a very short name. One of the most touching lines, though, comes when the two revisit their elegant Edwardian club--apparently frequented by actors--and Ian remarks that he loves coming to the place, because it reminds him so much of what he might have been.
  
  The acting, as is to be expected from such a cast, which includes Vanessa Redgrave as Maurice's long-neglected but still-loved wife, is superb. Peter O'Toole has the remarkable ability to inflict a mortal wound to the heart with a mere look. The expression on his face hardly changes, but his inner passion is so heartfelt that he conveys his emotion effortlessly. O'Toole's performance demonstrates the bankruptcy of the Hollywood establishment, which has failed to acknowledge his artistry properly for these many years.
  
  

• Peter O'Toole's Swan Song

  
  By A3M2WW0PO34B94 on 2007-01-20
  What more can be said about Peter O'Toole's career? Not a lot. The legendary actor has appeared in many great roles and many great films. Yes, even a number of flops, but every great director and actor has had their share. Every single one, even Hitchcock, my hero. But when he is `on', O'Toole is simply unmatched by anyone in his generation. Richard Burton was earlier, Ian McKellan and Anthony Hopkins would come later.
  
  From the mid 60s, when he made an incredible debut in "Lawrence of Arabia" through "What's New Pussycat?", "The Lion In Winter" and up to "My Favorite Year", O'Toole has shown he is equally comfortable in drama, epic, comedy and historical drama. He can play it fast, loose and carefree or he can evoke historical figures with all of the thespian powers he employs, holding his own with Katharine Hepburn, Alec Guiness, Richard Burton and many more.
  
  A few years ago, O'Toole received an honorary Oscar, perhaps the Academy's way of hedging their bets and acknowledging his remarkable career. They may have been a bit hasty. The actor's latest film "Venus" is bound to earn O'Toole a nomination for Best Actor.
  
  O'Toole plays Maurice, an aging actor who now takes bit parts in soap operas, usually as a dying Uncle or Grandfather, to keep a little income coming in. He supports his ex-wife (Vanessa Redgrave) who is ill and still lives in their old, ramshackle, badly in need of repairs home and carries a torch for her husband. One day, his friend, Ian (Leslie Phillips), an aging actor who also carries a torch for Maurice, announces his niece will be coming to live with him, to help with his care and daily life. On Maurice's next visit, he meets the young lady, Jessie (Jodie Whittaker) and becomes entranced with her looks, her coarse manner, and her unvarnished view of the world. He also learns Ian can't stand her and feels invaded. Maurice happily sets about coming up with ways to get her out of the house, so he can enjoy her company.
  
  "Venus" is a fun film to watch because we get to see O'Toole do what he does best. The role isn't a stretch; clearly written to provide a showcase for his abilities, Maurice could easily be O'Toole if the actor were less well-known and had made some bad career choices. O'Toole plays an elderly actor who once played some memorable roles but now spends more time enjoying a good drink. Sounds like a stretch, doesn't it?
  
  Even though his body has aged and he may be a little slower, O'Toole commands our attention from the moment he first appears on screen. This is Maurice's story; his life, his loves, his friends. In telling the story of a short period of his life, we get a capsule of his entire life, we extrapolate the events we witness and fill in the rest of his life.
  
  It is a bravura performance and a fitting crown for his remarkable career.
  
  Writer Hanif Kureishi ("My Beautiful Launderette") and director Roger Michell ("Notting Hill") have done a good job of crafting a showcase for O'Toole's skill. Once the story gets going, they simply get out of the way, which is a good thing. The story is simple, uncomplicated and flows along pleasantly. If anything, this uncomplicated nature makes the film resemble a BBC presentation. It seems a little small, a little low budget, as though they were hedging their bets. In case the film didn't turn out as well, they could always just show it on the BBC and BBC America and recoup some of their investment. But because it did work, the project earned a theatrical release.
  
  "Venus" presents an example of one of our best actors showing us why he has earned a lifetime of acclaim. It is a film worthy of your time and attention. Peter O'Toole demands your time and attention.
  
  
  
• "Can I touch your hand?"
  By A111BH1GN0D33Z on 2007-06-24
  As a Peter O'Toole fan, I had to see "Venus" and unlike most reviewers here, I loathed it.
  
  The central character is Maurice, a veteran actor (brilliant performance from Peter O'Toole) who's at the end of his life. When considering all the elements that make a life 'good' can we say that he has had a 'good' life? Well he has financial difficulties, health problems, and as the story unfolds, it's revealed that he has a broken marriage in his past and is alienated from his children. While he enjoyed youthful good looks and a certain amount of fame, in old age he faces disease, loneliness and, of course, inevitability, death. Solace is found in the company of friends, but it's also through a good friend, Ian (Ian Phillips) that Maurice meets Jessie (Jodie Whittaker), a young girl he calls Venus.
  
  The relationship between Maurice and Venus is one of the problematic elements to the film. She's not averse to letting grope Maurice her as long as there is a reward. Frankly, she's a hideous character whose bad judgment and moral vacuity leads to tragic consequences. Maurice suffers from the classic Pygmalion syndrome--justifying an absurd relationship with a much younger woman under the guise that it's some sort of even trade. But it isn't. Their relationship is grasping, and exploitive, but why on earth does the script then have to gloss over all this darkness and convert it into lustful, affectionate whimsy?
  
  This would have been a much better film if the character of Venus didn't morph into a Pollyanna apologist at the end. She feels 'bad' and an apology apparently makes events 'right.' Furthermore, this happy ending is endorsed by the role of ex-wife Valerie (Vanessa Redgrave). We know that she's hard up for money (Maurice says she should apply to the children for assistance), and the little he manages to earn is spent on baubles for Venus. But in spite of years of disappointment and betrayal between Maurice and Valerie, the film has to sew up a happy ending with Valerie leading the adulation. This is a film about an elderly man with sexual longings who hooks up with an exploitive, crass young girl. Why make it all warm and fuzzy? The superficial, cliche-ridden, sentimental redemption angle is nauseating, and with a script written by Hanif Kureishi, I really expected more--displacedhuman
  
  
• A Celebration of Life And An Unflinching Look at Love
  By A3J5UO5QMTFSWB on 2007-02-21
  The marvelously sublime film Venus introduces us to the long-in-years but still-spry Maurice, a distinguished yet hedonistic actor nearing the end of his life and career (played by Peter O'Toole in a tour de force performance, even though he's in many ways playing himself).
  
  Maurice and his elderly ex-actor cronies spend their average day sitting around in the corner bar and musing about how many lines they'll get in their newspaper obituaries. That is, until one of those cronies, the stodgy Ian, announces that his niece's daughter will be coming to work as a live in nurse of sorts for him ("no uniform," he scolds Maurice, "don't have a coronary").
  
  Ian has high expectations for what this young woman will bring to his faltering life, but when we finally meet young Jessie, she is a standoffish, beer-chugging brat, as rough around the edges as a manually-opened canned food lid.
  
  "It's hardly been 24 hours and already I'm screaming for euthanasia," Ian hysterically tells Maurice, and Ian just doesn't know what to do with her.
  
  Maurice, it turns out, has some ideas toward that end. And what develops (kind of) is a sometimes squirm-inducing March-December relationship (no, not a May-December relationship - the age disparity demands a few more months of distance be added) that takes an unflinching look at what part of love consists of bargaining.
  
  Maurice tries to woo Jessie, with varying results. When she asks him who Venus is at an art museum, he tells her she "creates desire in men, leading often to foolishness and despair - the usual s---"
  
  And that's about right for describing what ensues between them. It becomes almost a sugar daddy type scenario only without much to offer as the daddy and without much given as the sugar - perhaps a low-sugar daddy, then?
  
  I won't spoil it from there, but suffice it to say this is a brisk and somewhat risqué romp, at times poignant and at time hilarious (and sometimes at the same time).
  
  Peter O'Toole gives a career-defining (literally) performance full of bombast and pratfalls (some so lustily-performed you wonder how he got through filming without being injured).
  
  My only slight qualm with the film had to do with certain aspects of the ending, but these minor indiscretions pale in comparison to the consistent quality of the overall movie. Therefore, while I'd like to give this movie 4.5 stars and I can't in this system I will instead jauntily tip my hat to the great Peter O'Toole and round up to 5.
  
  
• Bare Ruined Choirs
  By A9I40WFF40R4 on 2007-02-14
  Peter O'Toole plays an aging actor Maurice ("he was gorgeous") in this little gem of a movie about old age and dying. He and his friend and sparring partner Ian (Leslie Phillips) spend a great deal of their time lamenting their fates and trying to keep one step ahead of the Grim Reaper as they wait to shuffle off this mortal coil. Their diminished hearts, particularly O'Toole's-- get an electrical shock when Ian's grand niece Jessie (Jodie Whittaker) comes to care for him. This film derives much of both its humor and pathos from the strange but rather sweet relationship that develops between Maurice and Jessie.
  
  VENUS is a small, intimate film that British directors seem to have practically a monopoly on these days. The lighting is beautiful, understated and low, completely perfect for a film about life in old age. Even at his advanced age, O'Toole remains magnificent, proving once again that he is one of the great actors of our age. Vanessa Redgrave as his ex-wife has a small but effective role with one of the best lines of the filme: "After you are dead, everyone loves you."
  
  The last frame is VENUS is a beautiful and perfect ending to a really fine film. While this movie may not be for everyone, it probably should be.
  
  
• Brilliant!
  By A1IG0UL1BK0PO4 on 2007-03-26
  A brilliant film. So very funny. So very human. Beautifully filmed and acted. Enter this world and spend time with these characters. They will inspire laughter, connection and passion.
  
  
• Disgusting!
  By A9UOEJ5E4U81U on 2007-09-22
  If you like a movie with a dirty old man desiring a young woman that could be his great grandaughter then watch this movie. It is disturbing to me. I didnt enjoy it at all. He was always trying to steal of peek of her naked. I think I just threw up in my mouth...
  
  
• Read the full review at www.MoviePulse.net
  By A2MYUI8IT6UBUU on 2007-05-21
  `Venus', the goddess of love represents one of human natures most basic emotions. For Maurice, an elderly British thespian played by legendary screen actor Peter O'Toole, the mythological figure stands for something far more interesting, temptation and rediscovery.
  
  Charged with an incredible performance by O'Toole, the new film from `Notting Hill' and `Changing Lanes' director Roger Mitchell, is an intriguing piece of art, and like most artistic works, the subject matter in `Venus' is awfully hard to swallow. When Maurice's closest friend Ian is given the hospitable, or uncongenial, services of his grand-niece, a young teenager, the brash girl, and on the verge of coming of age, turns their lives upside-down.
  
  While Jessie, played by Jodie Whittaker, is driving Ian up the wall, the young, British teen fascinates Maurice, and for an aging man, perhaps not in the most chaste of ways. What starts as seemingly an innocent friendship built by two unlikely individuals connecting at vastly different stages of their lives, quickly degrades into an objectionable sexual obsession.
  
  In a way `Venus' mirrors Sofia Coppola's `Lost in Translation' in many ways. It opens with an actor, living off former glory, taking parts he doesn't really want to perform, and struggling with his flameless marriage. However the close, plutonic relationship that Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson developed is replaced in `Venus' by a cold and manipulative relationship shared by O'Toole and Whittaker.
  
  O'Toole's character wants nothing more than to worship his young temptress for the goddess he envisions her as. Being young, Whittaker's character Jessie does what any teenager would do with relentless, adoring attention, abuse it. For simple sexual acts of foreplay, like the touch of the hand or a kiss on the neck, Jessie expects Maurice to buy her materialistic possessions such as diamonds and tattoos. Not exactly a fair bargain.
  
  Eventually this seemingly simple relationship becomes seedier, and loses all emotional resonance. While O'Toole delivers a powerful, Oscar worthy performance, using his sad blue eyes to emote his pleasure and disappointment in Jessie, even he can't save what is ultimately a detached movie.
  
  From the look of `Venus' I would have expected the picture to have been made by a relatively inexperienced director. Mitchell, who has helmed a great deal of projects, dabbles here in the handheld movement that has been sweeping the artier, independent films these days. Sadly though, aside from a few moments, the technique doesn't necessarily enhance the film, in fact in some instances it skews the framing, making the film look somewhat amateur.
  
  Even with the unnerving plot points there are a few moments of genuine cheer, brought to life by the performances of O'Toole and his other classic British costars Leslie Phillips and Richard Griffiths, who share some amusing scenes together at their local diner. One other memorable scene is when O'Toole, in one of his more humorously perverse moments, attempts to spy on Whittaker while her character models nude for a group of artists, let's just say the sequence ends with a bang...
  
  [...]
  
  
• "There really isn't anything else"
  By A328S9RN3U5M68 on 2007-05-25
  And so reflects 70-something Maurice (Peter O'Toole) about the importance of beauty and searching for love as the only significant goals as life races by him. VENUS is a small miracle of a film written by Hanif Kureishi ('My Beautiful Laundrette') about the isolation and inner devastation of growing old in today's society. What could have been a morose, whining diatribe about the cruelties of advancing age and the manner in which we treat the elderly becomes a window into the psyche of older characters whose lives have meant something - if to no one else but themselves.
  
  Three old thespian friends and colleagues (Maurice, Ian - Leslie Phillips and Donald - Richard Griffiths) spend their days reading obits, sharing pills and recalling the days of their acting glory. Maurice has not given up as he still performs as old characters in films and continues his lifelong libidinous longing for beautiful females. Ian fears death from hypertension and agrees to have his niece's daughter Jessie (Jodie Whittaker) move in to care for him. But the coarse, crude, and rude Jessie drives Ian to distraction and Ian seeks Maurice's aid in diverting Jessie's time to activity away from her home care service. The story thus opens the way to examine the needs and desires of both Maurice and the very young Jessie, each finding a sense of solace, friendship and a new kind of love despite their extreme age differences. Maurice continues to visit his ex-wife Valerie (Vanessa Redgrave) whenever he needs a connection to reality: these encounters speak more about the continuity of love once splintered than in almost any prior film.
  
  In a story that could have focused on aged lechery and youthful opportunism this film, as directed by Roger Michell, instead elects to find the path toward beauty that underlines the needs of disparate people. The performance by O'Toole is staggeringly superb and the remainder of this small cast (Redgrave, Griffiths, Phillips - all long admired, seasoned pros - and Whittaker, a very promising new face) is top notch. The writing and directing and acting in this film is at the peak of excellence - there really isn't anything else. Grady Harp, May 07
  
  
• Funny and moving
  By A3LGB9KM2A85TW on 2007-06-07
  Maurice (Peter O'Toole) is an aging British actor who falls for his best friend's niece, Jessie. Jessie ends up being a total party girl, unlike anything Maurice, nor her uncle ever expected. She drinks all of her Uncle Ian's alcohol, cusses at him, she's rude, and she just plain hates the man.
  
  One day Maurice realizes that he is in love with the girl. Jessie is about eighteen, while Maurice is going on eighty. He begins to buy her stuff, and takes her out on the town in a rented limo. He also takes her to see the painting, Venus at the London museum. Maurice tells Jessie that she is Venus, and he begins to call her by that name.
  
  One day Jessie brings her boyfriend over to Maurice's house. Let's just say all hell breaks loose after that!
  
  This is quite a good story, it's not exactly like I thought it would be. Since this is a British movie, there are parts that I didn't understand. I guess I'm not that cultured...yet.
  
  Peter O' Toole is simply amazing in this movie! In my opinion he is playing himself, an aging actor.
  
  Also, I have two favourite scenes in this movie. The first one has to be when Maurice gets Jessie a modeling job. Everything goes fine until Jessie learns it's nude modeling and Maurice wants to watch! The art teacher makes Maurice leave, but that doesn't stop him from peeking over the door, which results in a hilarious Larry David moment.
  
  The other scene has to be when Jessie is trying on some new earrings that Maurice bought for her. She is wearing nothing but her underwear because by now Jessie has realized that Maurice has a crush on her, and she thinks it's funny to tease him. Maurice goes and slips his hand over her bra, and begins to feel her breast, then Jessie does a karate jab into his rib, while saying, "Maurice you had it coming!"
  
  Anyway, you come away from the movie with I think a better understanding of the world around you, and no matter how old you're, you can still have tons of fun.
  
  Oh, Peter O' Toole was robbed out of an Oscar for this role.
  
  
  
• A Terrific Little Film.
  By A34D06JL7LC6MU on 2007-05-29
  One of the biggest travesties of 2006 is that "Venus" scored only one Oscar nomination; Best Actor for Peter O'Toole. O'Toole (who has never won an Oscar, but has an Honorary one) lost to Forest Whitaker for "The Last King of Scotland." This year reminded me of the year "Mystic River" came out. Sean Penn and Bill Murray (for "Lost in Translation") were nominated for Best Actor. Everyone knew Penn would win, but people were torn between the two. That's how I felt with O'Toole and Whitaker, even though I hadn't seen either film. Whitaker was going to win, but I wanted O'Toole to win. Now, having seen the film, I want O'Toole to win even more. And I want to go back in time and convince the Academy to give it a few more nominations, but I'll get to that in a moment. "Venus" seems like a romantic-comedy, but it's very offbeat. O'Toole plays an aging actor named Maurice, who spends his days joking about his imminent death with his friend Ian (Leslie Phillips). The duo know that death is near, they almost long for it, but they choose to spend their days drinking and joking. That is until Ian's niece decides to send her 20-something daughter to stay with Ian. What he's expecting is a young girl who will help him around the house, cook for him and serve him drinks. What he gets is Jessie (Josie Whittaker), a Cockney party-girl/alcoholic who lounges around the house and drinks all of Ian's alcohol. Ian avoids Jessie, but Maurice (once a womanizer) is intrigued by the young woman and begins courting her. Maybe that's not the right term, but he begins taking her to lunch and buying her stuff. She eventually begins using the fact that Maurice is fascinated with her to her advantage, but soon finds that their relationship is much deeper than that. Yeah, like I said, it's a little offbeat. Some reviews I've read have referred to the O'Toole character as a "dirty old man." That's pretty much what his character is and Maurice has no problem copping to that. This is not a powerhouse performance, but one of those low-key and charming performances that Bill Murray was nominated for. O'Toole is an absolute revelation here, even though he's arguably playing a version of himself. Vanessa Redgrave also shows up as his ex-wife and is quite good as well. I think the film should have been nominated for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor (Leslie Phillips), Best Supporting Actress (Jodie Whittaker), and Best Original Screenplay. The reason it wasn't nominated for these is because it's such a small film. O'Toole was a shoo-in and I have no doubt that many people who voted for him hadn't even seen the film. Not that he didn't deserve it, because of Forest Whitaker hadn't made "The Last King of Scotland" this would have definitely been Peter O'Toole's year. "Venus" isn't going to appeal to a massive amount of people. A Shakespeare quoting, late 70s-early 80s sex fiend of a man isn't the kind of protagonist that attracts a lot of people; But "Venus" is one of the best films of 2006, with some of the best performances of that year as well. It's charming, unique, poetic, and all around great. I believe it to be the 4th best film of 2006.
  
  GRADE: A
  
  
• Peter O'Toole manages another stellar performance
  By A1ER5AYS3FQ9O3 on 2007-06-22
  I admit that I'm a huge fan of Peter O'Toole. The man can be totally irreverent, cheeky but...I admire his willingness to take chances and push the envelope.
  Having recently watched his performance in Lassie (also recommended), I was reminded of his versatility when I saw Venus. Instead of a dog lover, this time O'Toole plays the role of an elderly man, still searching for love and beauty. He doesn't even try to cover up his genuinely wrinkly face and allows age to work to his advantage, not always easy to pull off in a film performance.
  He plays Maurice, a genuine character, who is drawn to a friend's niece and somehow manages to turn this attraction into a drama mixing humor, pathos and downright awkwardness - and yet it somehow all works.
  For O'Toole fans, I'd also recommend: Lassie
  
  Lawrence of Arabia (Single Disc Edition) [Region 99]
  
  
• Utterly REVOLTING
  By AITI12BBKCYG9 on 2007-06-26
  I wonder at how so many viewers heap high praise upon Peter O'Toole for his role of Maurice Russell in "Venus". Depraved, dirty, and disgusting, the arthritic Maurice clings to anything that allows him to revel in his own decrepitude. Enter the slag-heap Jessie, his "Venus", and grand-niece of his closest friend, Ian.
  
  Jessie is, if possible, even more despicable than Maurice. She mumbles incoherently in most scenes, a trait exacerbated only by her thick English-midlands accent; she also manages to masticate like a troll, food flying from her mouth every time she's attempting to feed. Maurice, who happens upon the trampy girl when she is shoved upon her unsuspecting uncle as a would-be caretaker, wastes no time plying her with booze and baubles.
  
  He rhapsodizes about his fame and how utterly determined he is to pursue his own hedonistic code despite soon facing the grave. She takes advantage at every turn, landing a stint as an artists' model as the coup de grace of his favor.
  
  A particularly horrific scene is where "Venus" offers Maurice a chance to bestow three osculations upon her bared shoulder. She does this throughout the movie, proffering tasteless little fondles as payment for jewelry, fine dining, etc. O'Toole's ghastly, grinning death's-head hovers for long moments next to the young female's nubile head -- and the resulting image is enough to have the viewer reach for the Mylanta.
  
  Honestly -- this is hardly a triumphant or exultant film. In the end, Maurice, who has been soundly pummeled by Jessie's young man (whom she invites to visit at Maurice's home, at which point she tells the old man to take a hike [literally] so that she and the bloke can have a poke = so classy!), rapidly deteriorates (he's been managing to do so in nature's course throughout the film in any event) and drops dead at the seashore.
  
  And a good riddance to bad rubbish.
  
  Poor Vanessa Redgrave is underplayed in her portrayal of Mrs. Russell, Valerie, whom Maurice had abandoned decades before, replete with their three young children under age six. Why they've never properly divorced is confusing; why Valerie still entertains him, in the most civil and welcoming manner, is truly mystifying. She even shows immense grace at Maurice's funeral reception, when she offers to help the useless Jessie.
  
  After having viewed this piece of cinematic trash I was elated that Peter O'Toole was, yet again, refused the honor of an Oscar win.
  
  
  
• Peter O'Toole said he was "still in the game" and he was not lying
  By A2NJO6YE954DBH on 2007-08-10
  I keep wanting to think that Peter O'Toole won as Oscar for "Lawrence of Arabia)," but I know that he did not. When O'Toole was earning Oscar nominations for playing Henry II in "Becket" and "The Lion in Winter" there must have been an idea that sooner or later he was going to win an Academy Award. But after he was nominated for the seventh time in 1982 for "My Favorite Year" O'Toole tied Richard Burton for the dubious record of having the most Oscar nominations for Best Actor with at a win (Deborah Kerr holds the Best Actress record with six nominations and no wins). O'Toole was given an honorary Oscar in 2003, although he had written a letter to the academy saying he was "still in the game" and wanted more time to "win the lovely bugger outright." Any thoughts that O'Toole was engaging in wishful thinking were erased when his performance in "Venus" earned him his eighth nomination. Of course, O'Toole did not have the same sort of happy ending that Henry Fonda did with "On Golden Pond," since Forest Whitaker won for "The Last King of Scotland," but he certainly proved that in his 70s he still has "game."
  
  In Roger Michell's 2006 film, O'Toole plays Maurice, an aging actor who is still respected, at least by those who remember him. That would not include Jessie (Jodie Whittaker), the 20-year-old daughter of the niece of Maurice's friend Ian (Leslie Phillips), another old school actor. Jessie would like to get into modeling and Maurice arranges for her to be nude model for an art class. But it turns out that part of Maurice's reasons for getting her this particular gig is that he would very much like to see Jessie naked. After an operation of his prostate Maurice is impotent, but he still has an appreciation for the female form. As he tells Jessie at one point, the most beautiful thing a man will ever see is the body of a woman. She wonders what would be the most beautiful thing a woman ever gets to see, and Maurice's answer rings true, but is clearly beyond her ken.
  
  This film is the story of two people who fall in love, and while we have seen May-December relationships played out before they rarely treat physical contact and nudity in this way. Screenwriter Hanif Kureishi, best known for 1985's My Beautiful Laundrette, focuses not on the sex, or absence thereof, but more on the ironic transformation from a young man who was adored by many a young girl, into an old man who has found one last young girl to adore as his personal "Venus." Part of it is that Jessie stands in stark contrast to Maurice's old friends and his ex-wife His Maurice banters with fellow thespian Ian (a terrific Leslie Phillips) and visits his ex-wife Valerie (Vanessa Redgrave). After decades of banter, even of the enjoyable kind between Maurice and Ian, there is much to be said for getting to look, even if getting to touch earns you a sharp elbow in a tender spot.
  
  But in "Venus" everything comes back to O'Toole's performance, which offers a wide range of emotional shadings. Maurice is not only enamored with the crude Jessie, he is raging against the ravages of time, humiliated by his physical failings, and trying to keep together the last shreds of his dignity. In her film debut, Whittaker responds in kind, her youth and inexperience limiting the range of her reactions. In the final act of the film she finally gives Maurice a look at her naked breasts, but in that context it is not the exhibition that matters but the change in her voice, which speaks much more to the nature of their relationship. I have to say that I found O'Toole's performance to be more compelling and certainly more memorable than the one that won the Oscar earlier this year, but you know full well that a movie that grossed $3.3 million dollars (most of it in the wake of O'Toole's nomination) was never going to be seen by enough voters to win. The nomination itself seems like a miracle, that is, unless you have seen the film. Then it is no surprise at all.
  
  
• Venus Arising
  By A35YWA2V4QHOJ3 on 2007-09-03
  This is another movie in a genre that seems to be gaining steam in recent years. The plot centers around a very young woman (Jodie Whittaker) and a much older man (Peter O'Toole) who share a very off-the-wall friendship. There are many parallels between this film & other recent flicks of the same basic genre, such as Lost in Translation (where Bill Murray's character "falls" for Scarlett Johannson's character) and Shopgirl (written by Steve Martin, where he plays the title role of a man who goes after a younger woman, portrayed by Claire Danes). Like both of these movies, Venus is very subtle. It kind of floats along, sort of dream-like. People who need movies with lots of action, or lots of stuff going on @ once, may be rather bored by this film.
  
  Peter O'Toole plays an actor who is way past his prime. Once a storied Thespian, he is now relegated to roles such as that of a corpse. He was also quite a Lady's Man in his time, but now his seductive prowess & power over women is stale. Physically, too, he is wearing down. He is in need of prostrate surgery and his body is basically falling apart beneath him.
  
  When he meets his friend's niece (played nicely by Whittaker), he suddenly finds his sexual urges and romantic passions re-awakened. He projects & idealizes her into the image of Venus, Roman goddess of Love, as she appears in a famous painting. Jodie Whittaker has an unconventional, demure beauty that is perfect for her role as the young siren.
  
  The story tells of how the 2 people try to manipulate each other towards their own ends. He wants small non-sexual favors, and in return she wants him to buy her stuff. Out of this they somehow form a genuine (albeit awkward?) friendship.
  
  For those who have seen LOST IN TRANSLATION and / or SHOPGIRL, those films will likely be a good indicator as to how much (or little?) you will like this movie. One thing that must be acknowledged is that this is a little more "extreme" in its view of the older man / much younger girl. O'Toole is in his Golden Years while Jodie Whittaker is literally barely out of high school. Some may find this a bit vulger, but for those who stick around for the whole story, they will find a certain elegance in watching the Venus on the screen transforming into the vision of Venus in the painting.
  
  
  
• HAROLD AND MAUDE IN REVERSE ....AND SUBTLER
  By A2ATWKOFJXRRR1 on 2007-06-05
  You've gotta love dirty old men to enjoy something like VENUS. It certainly hits home with those in the 70 or older range who've lost their sexual physical attributes in some fashion, yet retain their psychological need for female companionship.
  
  The freshness of Venus is that we get to see Peter O'Toole (Casanova) play an age-appropriate role and do it so well that he takes over the entire film. The downside is that there's little else to give accolades to.
  
  Kind of a reverse Harold and Maude (1971), Venus switches the sexes and puts the age on the man and the youth on the woman. The woman is Jessie (newcomer Jodi Whittaker), the barely-out-of-her-teens niece of a friend of Maurice's (O'Toole). Maurice's buddy, Ian (Leslie Phillips), thought his niece might help take care of him, even liven up his rather dreary and mundane life. But when Jessie turns out to be an embittered and angry young woman whose only wish is to eat and drink him out of house and home, Ian runs and hides in his bedroom.
  
  Enter Maurice who takes an instant liking to Jessie (he calls her Venus). Sexually attracted to her yet battling prostate cancer, Maurice and Venus teach each other the wiles of their ages. Maurice is a down-and-out actor who mainly plays dead or dying characters on TV programs ("Typecast again"). But he's also a lover and a married man. Like many in the film industry, his relationship with his wife is distant; so distant, in fact, that he doesn't live with her (his wife played by the esteemed and understated Vanessa Redgrave). To battle boredom, he and his friend Ian throw their many prescriptions on tables in a game to see who can find the greatest combination of pills that'll numb them out. Enjoying the female body more than he should, Maurice entices Venus to go out with him. Being bored, she accepts.
  
  Little does Maurice know, though, that this Venus is just as dangerous as the real goddess. Don't mess with love! She learns that her new paramour is quick to lust and gradually taunts him with her desirables. Why she does this isn't quite clear, but it appears to be a way to regain her composure she lost from a previously bad relationship (one that involved a pregnancy and her forceful mother).
  
  Although the unusual nature of their relationship is one of the more interesting aspects, it is O'Toole who, even in his advanced age (74?), carries off the dirty old man persona with equal parts disgust and longing. Whittaker (Venus/Jessie) tries hard to keep up but fails often in believability. Her line delivery often falls flat or overly-dramatic. Rarely does she hit the middle of the road, which is where O'Toole lives and breathes.
  
  That said, this isn't a bad film to spend a night watching. It holds more interest than most movie rental dregs currently lining your Blockbuster store. And it'll make you think about what awaits you in old age, be you a man or a woman.
  
  
• Bravo...
  By A1JO4A8BZWBOTX on 2007-06-23
  Wow, what a stirring masterpiece of filmmaking. The level of verisimilitude surpassed anything I have seen in recent years, if not decades. Probably going to be much more poignant to the over 40 crowd, however, the dynamic between Maurice and Jessie makes this equally as accessible to a younger crowd on a different level. I laughed, I cried, I learned...
  
  
• Desire and death....
  By ARA48345JZPZR on 2007-06-30
  Not the death of desire, which this film tells us is ever alive. The flashing blue Lawrence-eyes are rheumy; the always spare frame is now fragile; the striking handsomeness bears the marks of time and a life hard-lived; the once powerful voice an echo of itself. But Peter O'Toole the great actor, is still in there, strong and vital, and he brings dignity to a very delicate piece about an old man's continuing desire for female beauty, and the life represented there, even on the precipice of eternity. And for that, this film is worth seeing.
  
  O'Toole's Maurice feels mortality in every breath, and the indignities and infirmities of old age are present in every waking moment. He passes the time playing corpses in TV shows, and trading pills with his ancient friends. His has been a life lived selfishly, in service to his own pleasure, as is tellingly revealed in the very nice scene with his ex-wife, played by Vanessa Redgrave. The old ham finds infatuation with a rather fatuous young woman and this final dance with desire will bring some insight to the object of his affection and some final reflection to the old "player".
  
  This is difficult material, an old man's lust or love for a young woman, but it was presented honestly in that both parties are using the other for their own purposes, until perhaps the end. If they are changed by one another, it is in subtle small ways, and while the ending may seem a bit too neat, the relationship limned before has been carefully constructed.
  
  I found great care in the presentation, treading a fine line. It is a wistful film about final days and the heart's ever longing. Or, as Peter O'Toole says, it's about a dirty old man and a (trampy) young woman. It is both. Not for everyone, I found it worthwhile.
  
  
• a tour de force for O'Toole, and a living homage to a great actor
  By AKYNIMNI8LOBP on 2007-07-17
  Simply put, Peter O'Toole is easily on the short-list of The Most Stpuendous Actors Of All Time. I started out this movie thinking that this was a living Lifetime Achievement Award for the man who has stunned myself and the world with his work in Lawrence of Arabia, The Lion in Winter, The Stunt Man and The Ruling Class, and has also been a shining light in such low-grade movies as Creator and My Favorite Year, but has proven to the world that, like other great actors who do have the mettle to at least lick his boots (Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall), he is a working actor and has not sealed himself into a silver tower to lord over us from above.
  
  And indeed, this movie does seem to be a living homage to a man who has given us the world, but whom we have treated so poorly in his old age. I would hope that the full picture of the character here may be inspired by O'Toole, but not totally imitative of him.
  
  O'Toole plays Maurice, an aged actor who has an easier time getting parts as dying (or dead) grandfathers than the kind of work in his heyday (can anyone say High Spirits?), but still he thinks he has a way with women, which becomes immediately apparent when he fellow aged thespian, Ian, has his niece's daughter, Jessie (played by Jodie Whittaker), come to live with to supposedly take care of him. Turns out that Jessie is more of the object of her mother's scorn and has been sent out of her house than much of a nurse to Ian. But she is instantly the center of Maurice's fancy.
  
  This movie well addresses the problems and just plain creepiness of Maurice's attention over Jessie, but clearly there is something both can gain from this relationship. Maurice, though spirited, is surrounded by reminders of his eminent death, and though Jessie is young enough to be his grandaughter, she has a painful past that could be poulticed at least a little bit by the attentions of a lustful but at least caring older man.
  
  Their relationship, of course, has difficulties. Maurice regularly visits his estranged wife, Valerie (played wonderfully by Vanessa Redgrave, though certainly an underutilized part), a wife he has cheated on numerously, and Jessie is a bit of an opportunist (and a heavy drinker). In essence, this is a film about two damaged people who might be able to heal themselves with each other. O'Toole carries this film with his energy, talent and palpable regret and strains to deal with his aged body, but the story of Jessie is also quite a drive through this film. She is strong but scared, a girl who seems to have things under control but just as easily a wreck. And as the movie continues, it becomes quite clear that O'Toole infuses something of himself into this role, as images of his past reinforce.
  
  This movie should serve as a staunch reminder that great actors may fade, but that we still owe them tribute, and that they may wait in the wings and are always ready to come out and remind us that they are, indeed, great. Director Roger Michell presents an intriguing story that is both difficult and sweet, and though it may take some predictable moves towards the end, takes on the process of identity to show us how everyone has a struggle, no matter how new or experienced they may be with the game.
  
  
  
• Phillips: "You've been loved Maurice. You've been adored." O'Toole: "Yes. So have you Ian. You just didn't always notice it!"
  By A129YBX5BVNW2 on 2007-08-20
  This could have a groan to watch, even pervy (it actually is in places) but it's still an absolute gem.
  
  While Peter O'Toole grabs the lion's share of attention, there are many other reasons why this so works. One of them is a stunning turn from Leslie Phillips who up until now has been all but a National joke in Britain (in the nicest way - he's been acting since the Fifties in light-hearted and often bawdy British comedies). The two together are never anything less than brilliant. Phillips knows he's up against real acting talent, but every time he matches it with his most brilliant and layered performance ever. And he's subtle too. Their scenes together are worth their weight in gold.
  
  Part of the reason is the fantastically funny, observational and touching script from Hanif Kureish which should have pulled a statue. There's a scene where two nurses are chatting over Peter O'Toole - one sticking a needle in his arm in some god-forsaken National Health Service room - and they just don't see him - he might as well not be there - why - because he's old - and therefore doesn't count anymore. It immediately cuts to him in the next scene at home - head lowered - sat on the side of a bed - hurting at the realisation of his aged fate. Then he slaps his own face three times and tells himself to "get up you old fu**er" and get on with life! O'Toole can suggest so much with even a glance. Both scenes are crushingly sad, but say so much by using so little. It's fantastic writing.
  
  There's another scene with Richard Griffiths (superb British actor who played Uncle Monty in Withnail & I) and Leslie Phillips; they're in a London cafe the three dotty cumudgens frequent, when Phillips bemoans the fact that his new girl lodger Jessie (played by Judie Whittaker - dubbed "Venus" by O'Toole after visiting the famous painting in The National Gallery) has drunk all his best booze and eaten him out of house and home. He's frantic. The two boys react - not with sympathy and tea - but by relentlessly taking the piss out of his overreaction! It's just hysterically funny, well paced and packed full of wisdoms.
  
  Maurice's (O'Toole) reaction to Venus is entirely different. She, of course, with her short skirts, Northern accent and lip that knows no subtlety - represents life, youth, woman. And for a man who's been in love with them all from the moment he could ditch his nappy and chase them down the street - she's irresistable. Their romance at-a-distance is slowly boiled and admittedly at times, it seems highly unlikely, but they play it so well together, you believe it. There are slightly pervy moments as I said and awkward scenes where he can't help himself and gets physical, and she calls him "forward". But he is - as a man - dying - and he can't stand it - he has so much to give still, if only someone will stop looking at him as old, and instead see him as a viable human being. It's all beautifully handled, insightful and ballsy - because these things should be/need to be said and addressed.
  
  The music is provided by the lovely Corrine Bailey Rae, a British soul singer (like a softer version of Tracy Chapman meets Mica Paris) - soulful songs and strumming moments pepper the nicely used London locations. Later scenes with his long-suffering wife Vanessa Redgrave are genuinely touching too - another great actress adding class to an already classy project.
  
  There are times when O'Toole looks ill, that this maybe his last role, but then that voice comes through, or he does an "act-or's turn", or he smiles at Leslie Phillips and hugs him - and lifetimes of friendship come through. In another scene Phillips' character Ian says as they sip whiskey in a gentleman's club reminiscing on their pasts, "I love this horrible place. It reminds me, of what I wanted to become." He admires Maurice and is jealous of him, but can say it without fear, because they're real friends. Sipping whiskey and clipping toenails!
  
  Of course the central relationship between Maurice & Jessie goes to crap and a series of events threaten to wreck it. We're not looking at traditional happy endings here, but compromises - as all living is. It ends as it began - on a beach - with the waves of the free sea lapping on the shore - fresh and untamable.
  
  I loved this film. Please don't let the subject matter put you off.
  In one particularly touching scene, O'Toole's character Maurice, quotes Shakespeare to Venus - and to finish this review - so shall I.
  
  "So long as men shall live and eyes shall see...
  So long lives this, and this gives life to thee".
  
  Put this movie high on your rental/to buy list.
  
  
• Unsettling or Uplifting? O'Toole Rises Above The Rest Of This "Venus"
  By A27H9DOUGY9FOS on 2007-11-01
  What's not to love about "Venus?" Just seeing Peter O'Toole command the screen in a funny and robust performance may be enough for some. And it is almost, but not quite, enough for me. O'Toole is a legend, there's no denying that--and I appreciate that he can still be at the top of his game! An odd mixture of leading man and cheeky rebel, it's hard not to be captivated by an O'Toole performance. From the classic stories of "Lawrence of Arabia" and "The Lion in Winter" (my favorite film of all time) to the fantastically underappreciated cult hits "The Stunt Man" and "The Ruling Class," O'Toole has always delivered risky and mesmerizing performances. But, in the case of "Venus," a grand performance does not necessarily make a satisfying film-going experience.
  
  O'Toole stars as a lecherous older man (seemingly a new specialty of his), an aging actor of some renown living in meager circumstances. When his best friend, played by a terrific Leslie Phillips, invites a young woman (his niece's daughter) to stay with him--their world is turned upside down. Phillips abhors young Jessie, Jodie Whittaker, but O'Toole is enchanted. Surly, rude, and genuinely naive and nasty in equal measures--Jessie somehow challenges O'Toole as well as appeals to his manliness. In a somewhat predictable fashion, you know the two will form an unlikely bond and learn about life. But the expected pleasantness of this "uplifting" buddy romance/comedy is slightly less than comfortable when the characters exploit one another all in the name of comedy. O'Toole makes countless inappropriate advances to the girl approximately 50 years his junior (most rebuffed with a bit of slapstick abuse) and Whittaker uses the old man for anything and everything. It's really more unsettling than uplifting.
  
  That's not to say that there aren't parts of the film I admired. I loved Phillips, who gives a great comic performance. Any time the old cronies come together, the film sparkles. I also liked the backstage glimpses of the artistic community--and the nostalgia for the theater/film world of a distant past. There is also an intriguing, if underdeveloped, subplot involving O'Toole's wife--a woman he left behind but who has become a part of his life again.
  
  Ultimately, though, the emotional success of "Venus" depends on whether or not you care for Jessie. Is she someone you want to root for and is her evolution something that you're invested in? Sadly, for me, the answer to these questions was a resounding NO. It's not Whittaker's fault. She has some nice moments. The character, as written and portrayed, is just not someone that I found remotely appealing. I'm not saying that I have to like every movie character--but, in this case, it wouldn't have hurt. This is, after all, a touching comedy of life, love and redemption. With unpleasant Jessie at the film's heart, the movie just never connected with me. Taking nothing away from O'Toole or the other performers, I know the movie was designed to touch an emotional chord--but my cynicism never gave way to genuine feeling. KGHarris, 11/07.
  
  
• Peter O'Toole's Performance Elevates it From Pedestrian
  By A3RNP5X8ZGZIEI on 2007-11-03
  Peter O'Toole, the highly-esteemed Irish actor ("Lawrence of Arabia," "The Ruling Class,") received a well-deserved 2006 Oscar nomination for the English-made "Venus," though, unfortunately for him, not the nod ( who could ignore Forest Whittaker in "The Last King of Scotland?") But O'Toole did give a genuinely towering performance; and they always say the Oscar voters love you if you allow yourself to look ugly, or disabled, onscreen. O'Toole allowed himself to look ugly/old, and dead onscreen, so I guess that had to count heavily in his favor.
  
  "Venus" is actually a drily funny, unsentimentally witty film, as written by Hanif Kureishi("My Beautiful Laundrette"), and directed by Roger Michell; although its plot is rather pedestrian. It's set among a bunch of aging theatrical friends, and gives viewers a pretty good idea of what their lives might be like. Maurice, (O'Toole), who would generally be politely called a "larger than life character," manages to be a horny, dirty old man, despite, or perhaps because of, the fact that we're told a recent needed operation was going to leave him impotent and incontinent. He falls in love with 20-year old Jessie (Jodie Whittaker), the hard, provincial, lazy, little-educated niece of his best friend Ian (Leslie Phillips), who's been sent to look after him in his dotage. Vanessa Redgrave turns in a fine performance as Valerie, still actually Maurice's last wife. Richard Griffiths provides sturdy support as Donald, the third old theatrical friend.
  
  The presence of O'Toole is critical to the film's success: most viewers do know that, in real life, he was one handsome devil as a younger man, and we need to know that in order to believe that a not-so-bright girl of twenty could manage to get to be fond of a man four times her age,and not a millionaire. There also can be little doubt that O'Toole salts many of his lines as Maurice with his real-time lifetime of experience. He might not have won the Oscar, but his performance still makes the movie worth seeing.
  
  
  
  
• Lust for Life or Just Plain Lust.
  By A3UPYGJKZ0XTU4 on 2007-06-02
  "Venus" is a sentimental, though unromantic, look at one man's persistent but circumscribed desire for women as he nears the end of his life. Maurice (Peter O'Toole) was a well-known actor and handsome womanizer in his younger days. Now a septuagenarian, he passes the time with his surviving friends and still manages to make a living in front of the camera. Fastidious fellow thespian Ian (Leslie Phillips) has taken in his niece's daughter Jesse (Jodie Whittaker) and is beside himself with anxiety about the young woman's uncouth manner. Maurice thrills at opportunity for young female company, though, charming and bribing Jesse into an awkward friendship.
  
  "Venus" is mercifully not philosophical about old age or love, and the characters aren't easy to like. But this film excels in honesty. It doesn't romanticize old age. Maurice is a man who has always loved women and now can love them only in his imagination. His attempts to impress and please Jesse in order to get the kind of attention that pubescent boys long for might seem pitiful. Jesse's teasing and manipulation may be cruel. But there is a striking frankness in Maurice's declaration that a woman's body is the most beautiful thing that most men will ever see. "Venus" is a portrait of a "dirty old man" whose desire to participate physically in life exceeds his abilities but touches the audience.
  
  The DVD (Miramax 2007): There are 4 deleted scenes, a making-of documentary, and an audio commentary. "Venus, A Real Work of Art" (14 min) features interviews with director Roger Michell, writer Hanif Kureishi, and producer Kevin Loader, who talk about developing the story, while actors Peter O'Toole, Leslie Phillips, and Jodie Whittaker talk about their characters and working together. The low-key audio commentary by director Roger Michell and producer Kevin Loader addresses story, filing, some locations and sets, and miscellaneous production details. Subtitles are available for the film in English SDH.
  
  
• A Nuanced Turn by O'Toole Elevates a Platonic February-December Romance
  By A13E0ARAXI6KJW on 2007-06-11
  In what feels like a valedictory performance, Peter O'Toole gives a remarkably nuanced performance as famous septuagenarian actor and raconteur Maurice Russell in director Roger Michell's modest 2006 character study. It's impressive when an actor of O'Toole's stature can refer back to his own illustrious career within a semi-doppelganger character without calling undue attention to it. The actor is given an uncommonly rich role thanks to Hanif Kureishi's perceptive, often trenchant script, which sets up Maurice as a man who embraces his mortality but not his withering virility. His need for female attention is palpable but does not veer too adamantly toward prurient.
  
  Through his bosom buddy and fellow thespian Ian, Maurice meets Jessie, Ian's niece's daughter, a sullen, disrespectful girl who steals all of Ian's alcohol while she acts as his caretaker. Ian is appalled by Jessie, but Maurice is intrigued enough by the girl to help her land a job as an art class model and teach her about the arts. However, his intentions are not altogether altruistic since he takes advantage of opportunities to caress her when given permission. This is where the film does its most delicate dance, as the potentially unsavory aspects are leavened by the sheer romanticism of Maurice's overtures safely insulated by his medically-induced impotence. The story only goes astray toward the end when Jessie's thuggish boyfriend enters the picture on the fringes and catalyzes the inevitable conclusion.
  
  Beyond O'Toole's masterful work, there are sterling performances from Leslie Phillips as the easily flustered, high-maintenance Ian and especially a vanity-free Vanessa Redgrave, who almost matches O'Toole's impact in just three telling scenes as Maurice's resigned ex-wife Valerie. With her shopworn beauty and enervated manner, she is able to convey subtle shifts between anger and affection to a man who had long ago abandoned her and their children only to forgive him for his past sins. As Jessie, Jodie Whittaker holds her own against the veteran cast, and her portrayal of the character's steely resolve minimizes the shock value of the burgeoning relationship, though I have to admit the inconsistencies in the script's view of her character are a bit jarring within the story flow.
  
  The loping pop-chill music of Corinne Bailey Rae dominates the soundtrack, and it suits the movie well. The 2007 DVD has the standard set of extras - a brief making-of featurette, "Venus: A Real Work of Art", which celebrates how celebrated actors like O'Toole, Phillips and Redgrave still have to face ageism when it comes to good roles; four deleted scenes of little value; and a rather dry commentary track from Michell and one of the producers, Kevin Loader. It's a small-scale film, alternately vitriolic and poignant, elevated by O'Toole.
  
  
• Brilliant Best Actors and Actresses, Love at Multiple Levels
  By A1S8AJIUIO6M9K on 2007-06-22
  This movie got me through a long delay while waiting for air transport. It is utterly brilliant, chock full of world class actors and actresses, not least of which are Peter O'Toole and Vanessa Redgrave.
  
  This is some of the most serious gifted acting I have seen. O'Toole brought nuance to this role that was unexpected and all the more appreciated for being so.
  
  It struck me as a wonderfully new and refreshing mix of Pygmalion (My Fair Lady), My First Mister, and Love Story, with just a hint of Debbie Does Dallas without the sex.
  
  It makes very good use of fast forward "life in review" in a couple of places.
  
  It addresses love at multiple levels, including old men platonicly loving one another in old age; old men discovering their love for their old wives, and of couorse Peter O'Toole as an old man discovering platonic love with a rough younger woman who is brought out of ugly duckling status by his attentions and coaching. They teach each other how to get the most out of the lives they have.
  
  I will watch this again. It is a keeper.
  
  My First Mister
  My Fair Lady
  Love Story
  Debbie Does Dallas Trilogy
  
  
• Love Story in British Humor
  By AJR08UJMPC9LE on 2007-07-08
  This is not an ordinary tale of boy meets girl, it is a love story of Spring meeting Winter and each taking with them the best of that time in life.
  
  
• o'toole one of the greatest of all time-VENUS
  By A33R41DLSWZM6X on 2007-08-25
  Peter O'Toole was wonderful in this movie....especially for those of us over 55 who still believe in life and love....and the possibilities of finding same....i hope someday he wins an oscar for his achievments...i recectly watched "Beckett" again after many years and both he and Richard Burton were "tried and true" actors with out all of the explosive and violent distractions of todays movies....i plan on watching more of the older movies now that i am old enough to appreciate them!!! For a man who is obviously frail now..he still has a wonderful sense of himself, a sexinesss, great beauty and humor...i don't care how old he is, he has class!!!
  
  

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