The Best Offer (2013)

One simply can, nor should, overlook the opportunity to see Geoffrey Rush and Donald Sutherland interact. 

Firstly, the scenography is stunning, putting Rush perfectly into his role. Mansion after mansion filled with priceless art, restaurants of the most immaculate kind, his wardrobe, and of course his auction house. Pristine. Whether it's the auction room itself or just the storage facilities. You'd do well to find a film with more meticulously chosen venues. 

Then there's the mystery. It starts off with little hints. One could imagine Rush's Mr. Oldman would take it a bit more in stride, but the character is a peculiar one. The mystery does evaporate as we move on, being replaced by the strange relationship between the highly successful Rush and the curious young woman behind the painting. 

Rush is his usual brilliant self. His growing infatuation slowing getting the better of him. As a method actor that excels at tiny details and expression, he gets to play a very wide array. But the mood of the film doesn't really invite a romantic notion in the viewer, and even less so how little we get to see of the object of his affection. Her erratic behaviour helps little in that regard, nor does the huge age difference. Hoeks plays her part very well, but her screen-time is a mysterious voice for half the time, and her transformation therefore feels less well-built than that of Rush. But perhaps that is by director's choice

The dialogue is naturally somewhat pretentious and of higher standard to accommodate Oldman and his hiding heiress. Higher classes will have long words. Though there is at least one hint in it all that's too obvious for the viewer, and definitely too obvious for Oldman to miss. 

Director Tornatore is at his best when allowing Rush his space, though he's also very apt at both creating an eerie atmosphere, and not half-bad at Lynchian quirkiness either. You do get the feeling he doesn't quite know where to go with his characters or the story as such. There are grand metaphors comparing love to art that are overly obvious (particularly the parts about forgeries) and many different threads. They do line up in the end, but unfortunately in the most lazy and tedious way. 

So it has some excellent acting, it does leave you wondering. But it seems my scepticism while watching was well founded. The main plotline and subsequent ending was just as obvious and lazy as I feared it would be.

And that was a disappointment

6/10