“Casanova” (Buena Vista Pictures)
An R rated movie about the world’s greatest lover has to be hot, but it’s not!
Heath Ledger plays the title role in the new film “Casanova.” This is an R rated movie filmed in Venice. With the subject matter being what it is you would expect this to be a film full of riotous behavior and ample nudity. It isn’t. It is barely sexual at all, and that leads to its downfall.
Casanova (Ledger) lives in Venice but it seems most people don’t know what he looks like. This isn’t because he is in hiding. He is out and about and all over the place. Women swoon over him and risk their reputations to be with him. He is a ladies man for all seasons.
One day he meets Francesca Bruni (Sienna Miller), a woman who is not susceptible to his charms. This of course makes him want her all the more. Still she has been spoken for by the very large Paprizzio (Oliver Platt). Her mother (Lena Olin) has made the arrangements.
All of this plays out at a masked ball and is like a scene from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” There are mistaken identities galore and people trying to take revenge who get the wrong persons.
Ledger plays Casanova in a very laid back manner. He has charm and he uses it here but the role is not very dynamic. Miller is a disappointment as Francesca. The role calls for a woman beautiful enough to make Casanova forgo his rollicking lifestyle. Miller is not that good looking.
Platt is very good as the corpulent Paprizzio, and Olin has some good moments as the mother. Olin is much sexier than Miller will ever hope to be. Jeremy Irons is seen as a church official who wants Casanova hanged. He is always good in any role and he doesn’t disappoint in this one.
The film is rated R for profanity and comic violence.
“Casanova” is directed by Lasse Hallstrom, a director whose work I admire. This is not one of his better efforts. He does well enough with the humor in the film but all else just sort of lies there.
“Casanova” is a movie worth seeing as a rental. Making the effort to see it in a movie theater is just too asking too much. Ledger’s career is back in high gear but no thanks to this film. Here he is just an average actor in an average movie.
I scored “Casanova” a loveless 5 out of 10.
