Film Review: Elegy

Released in 2008, Elegy, starring film giants, Sir Ben Kingsley and Penelope Cruz, is a melancholy romance. What does the word elegy mean? It is a poetic or musical lament. Keep this in mind as you view this introspective film. I am a huge fan of Sir Ben Kingsley and have always loved Penelope Cruz so I was delighted to discover their collaborative effort in Elegy. Kingsley plays David Kepesh who is a professor and Cruz plays Consuela who is a Cuban student in one of his classes.

He invites her and his students to his loft for a party. Everyone is eating and socializing while Consuela gazes at his books. There is a subtle scene where he joins her at the bookshelf and he very quickly smells her hair. It is so quick and so subtle, it's very easy to miss but it was such a clever addition to his character. He sets out to solely seduce her but her sweet gentleness and curious inquiry of their status encourages him into a relationship with her.

Sooner than later, his feelings for her deepen. They have a passionate sexual relationship which wasn't filmed in a crude or vulgar manner. Kingsley is very attentive and Cruz is bright eyed, curious, and full of affection for him. Kingsley is an attractive man but his behavior makes him appear childish and Cruz has no choice but to make up for the lack of maturity.






She is deeply in love with him and so is he but his love becomes obsessive. There is a scene when they are in the car and he says he'll call her and she says, "No, I'll call you." As the film progresses, he loses control and this drives him to slight her in a way that causes her to disappear from his life. I was rooting for them and this separation was devastating to watch. A year later, she re-enters his life and what unfolds will tug at your heart.

Elegy ends beautifully. As it fades away you will exhale in hopeful delight! .-_-