An Intelligent, Adult Romantic Comedy
By Skip Sheffield
“Words and Pictures’ is a romantic comedy for intelligent,
thoughtful adults.
Written by Gerald Di Pego (“The Forgotten”) and directed by
Fred Schipisi (“Six Degrees of Separation”), “Words and Pictures” is also a
philosophical debate on the power of the printed word versus visual art,
starring two mature, highly skilled actors.
Jack Marcus (Clive Owen) is a writer whose creative
inspiration has dried up over the course of teaching Honors English to unresponsive
rich kids at a Maine prep school. Jack has sought solace in alcohol in
increasing doses, which has only deepened his depression.
Dina Delsanto (Juliette Binoche) is a new art teacher at the
school. Dina is lovely, determined and a talented artist, but she is
increasingly incapacitated by rheumatoid arthritis.
Already in his cups early in the morning, Jack gets into a
debate with Dina, who proclaims “words are lies… traps.”
Since Jack’s entire life is based on the printed word, Jack
takes Dina’s words as a challenge, and he throws down the gauntlet.
“This is war,” he declares. Jack wants a public contest that
will be voted on by the students. He will present his best literary effort and
she will paint her finest abstract painting.
In a romantic comedy there is always more. Jack is not the
most honest or moral competitor. Dina is being increasingly disabled by her
disease. Of course bit by bit these adversaries will fall in love. It sounds cliched, corny and hokey, but it is not totally, thanks to the finely nuanced performances by
Clive Owens as a tormented, once-great talent and the radiantly beautiful
Juliette Binoche as a gifted artist (Binoche did her own painting onscreen)
whose body is failing her. Then there are the students; an odd, interesting
lot used mostly as diversions.
“Words and Pictures” is the kind of movie that makes you contemplate
your own failings and weaknesses. In that sense it is the opposite of sugary.
On the other hand it advances the ever-optimistic- yes sweet- notion that redemption is
possible.
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