Letters to Juliet

Letters to Juliet
*



Letters to Juliet succeeds in being just what it's meant to be, a feel-good romantic comedy about love lost and love found, in which love triumphs in the face of cynicism. Inspired by the book of the same name, and filmed against the beautiful backdrop of Verona, Italy, the movie tells the story of how troubled young women seek advice from Shakespeare's Juliet by leaving letters tacked to a wall, where they are carefully answered by Juliet's self-appointed "secretaries." One such note is found 50 years later by Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), a young American woman who is soon to be married and who yearns to become a writer. Her heartfelt answer to the letter serves as a catalyst for an epic romantic journey that will span continents and generations. The success of the film lies in the powerful interaction between the wistfully romantic and fully mature author of the letter, Claire (Vanessa Redgrave); the romantically idealistic Sophie; and Claire's overly pragmatic, downright cynical grandson Charlie (Christopher Egan), who grudgingly accompanies his grandmother on what he deems an insane quest to Verona to find her long lost love, Lorenzo. The filmmakers, writers, and actors all capitalize well on the comic possibilities of the situation, and there are more than a few good chuckles to be had at the absurdity of the interactions between these three very different characters, as they experience everything from hope and longing to disappointment and unexpected fulfillment. In the end, each character grows and changes profoundly as a result of their shared journey. Sure, the events portrayed in the film are highly unrealistic, but that doesn't change the fact that the film speaks to that innermost part of us all that, despite all logic, makes us want to believe that true love really does exist and that it just might triumph in the end. --Tami Horiuchi

This review is from: Letters to Juliet (DVD)


I took a dear elder aged friend to this movie on a bad day in his life, hoping to distract him momentarily from events he couldn't do anything about. Instead, the movie re-invigorated both of us, and brought us repeatedly to tears. Say what you want about "feel good" movies, there are times when they are just what the doctor ordered!
Vanessa Redgrave is the heart of this film. The delicately fearless way she sets out to find her young lover, the grace with which she moves through the ups and downs of a process that could end in heartbreak, the care with which she brushes the young Sophie's hair...she is simply and purely lovely. Women d'un certain age should enjoy the possibilities she presents for aging beautifully.
I also suspect this movie was made after the death of Redgrave's daughter, Natasha Richardson, and so the scenes in which she calls Sophie "my darling" and loves her so freely are especially moving. Hollywood, listen up! Cast more Vanessa Redgraves, Judy Denschs and Helen Mirrens as stars in movies about life after 60, and you'll fill the theaters.