2008 Athens International Film Festival
'Youth Without Youth’ without coherence
By Nick Knittel, Contributor
April 29, 2008 | 6 p.m.
"Youth Without Youth," infamous "Godfather" director Francis Ford Coppola's first film in almost a decade, is hypnotically dense and confusing, like a philosophy lecture given by a drunken mute.
The plot seems crystal clear from the description listed on the Athens Film Fest Web site: “Based upon a novella by religious historian Mircea Eliade (author of 'The Myth of the Eternal Return') and set initially in 1938, Coppola has fashioned an episodic, expansive narrative that follows an aging linguistics professor (Tim Roth) who, after being struck by lightening, finds himself young again. Not merely reborn into his 40s, Roth’s Dominic Matai is granted an unlimited intellect and telekinetic abilities. He has also attracted the interest of Nazi scientists, keeping him on trek that spans the globe.”
That sounds interesting, right? Too bad there is no info on the hundred other subplots that weave their ways in and out of the piece, often haphazardly. Altogether, the subplots feel so misaligned that the aforementioned plot description is the only tangible plot point with which you may leave the theater. And that is just the first half hour.
It is difficult to even say whether other aspects of the film worked, as divorcing them from context of the story seems unreasonable. Tim Roth gives a very fine performance, juggling multiple aspects of his character's personality, which come and go either to torture or to speak unconsciously to Roth’s character Dominic, especially in Dominic's old age of 70. Roth seems on-point, but just like Bill Murray in "Lost in Translation,” it is often hard to tell if the silence is as profound as we are led to believe.
What does work in "Youth Without Youth" is Coppola’s marvelous work of framing and scene construction. The moments in which Dominic is haunted by his dopplegangers work incredibly well, and subtle changes in direction make the scenes, which are of the character speaking into a mirror and, gasp, the mirror image speaking back, seem more alive than in other films.
What makes the film so difficult to swallow is that it is clearly trying to say something, or maybe it is just saying too much. Whatever the case, the film, like its protagonist, is searching for an answer, and the audience is often doing the same. Good luck finding one.
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“Youth Without Youth”
Speakeasy Rating: C-
Running Time: 126 Minutes
MPAA Rating: R for sexuality, nudity, and a brief disturbing image
Showings:
Wednesday, April 30 at the Athena Grand: 4:00 p.m., 6:45 p.m, 9:30 p.m.
Check out the official Web site of the Athens Film Festival for more information about the 31 feature films and 215 competition films playing at this year's festival, running April 25 through May 1.