Casanova (2005)

Very well executed

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

This film is very interesting, presenting the life of Casanova, a real historical character famous for his adventurous life and his numerous affairs in the form of a comedy. This is not the first time that the Venetians' libidinal life has served a movie that ranges from comic to romantic: we had the same recipe in "Dangerous Beauty", and these film had a much more beautiful and well-developed central female character. Interestingly, Oliver Platt is present in both films and some elements of the plot of "Casanova" were clearly inspired in this film. In fact, this deja vu sensation is one of the problems of this film, cutting off the interest it might have. The way the plot mixes flirtations and interests of various characters is not new either, being a common feature in this type of comedy.Francesca, character played by Sienna Miller, is a woman ahead of her time, certainly inspired by the dreamy and cultured Veronica Franco ("Dangerous Beauty" again lending elements to this film). The actress has done a satisfying job, but she never really looks beautiful or seductive. On the contrary, what seems to seduce Casanova is the intellectual challenge she represents and the fact that she is different from the others. This was well thought out but appears in the plot very smoothly, almost imperceptibly, and could have been more noticeable. In turn, Heath Ledger made an excellent Casanova, harmonizing well the adventurous and funny side of his character with his most romantic and idealistic side. Platt made a simple and easy role: the idiot who ends up doing well in life. The fact is that the actor used well the little that they gave him and made a very honorable performance. Jeremy Irons is not far behind. He is an actor of enormous talent and versatility that adapts well to comedy.The director of the film, Lasse Hallström, exaggerates in some moments and didn't seem to be able to capture the true beauty and majesty of the baroque Venice. However, despite that, it makes a generally positive use of the city's landscape. The period costumes and baroque music were two of the things I most appreciated in the film: skillfully introduced and used, baroque music integrates well into the soundtrack and accompanies the entire film.

......................................................from Pasto,Colombia...Via: L.A. CA., CALI, COLOMBIA and ORLANDO, FLWhen Disney Studios wants to produce a film that definitely is not for children, it is produced under the name Touchstone. Pretty Woman with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere is a Touchstone film!...And of course, so is CASANOVA.With Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight) in the title role and Jeremy Irons, Lena Olin and Oliver Platt also in the cast, Casanova is a film that has a lot to offer. Visually, both the scenes of Venice and the photography, in general,are exquisite. The costumes also demonstrate great variety and are quite impressive.Several of the story line situations and characters are extremely humorous. The interpretations rendered by Jeremy Irons and Oliver Platt are truly fabulous. True, most of the historical references do not match reality, but, after all, it is a comedy....and most important of all, it's a rousingly entertaining movie! Of course, there are romantic elements in the story development. (With a title like Casanova, could it possibly be any different?) Even the music is spot on to transport viewers back to 1758!8*..…ENJOY/DISFRUTELA! Any comments, questions or observations, in English o en Español, are most [email protected]

Immediately after getting an Oscar nomination for playing a repressed gay man in Brokeback Mountain, Heath Ledger went 180 degrees the opposite direction in being cast as Giacomo Casanova who along with Don Juan remains the last word in rampant heterosexism.Only this time Casanova may have fallen big time for Sienna Miller who in her way is the 18th century version of a liberated woman, even having the temerity to attend the University of Venice in male garb.But when you're Casanova by now you have an image to protect and a reputation to live up to. The tales of seductions and conquests have been providing a lot of gossip fodder for the nobility, even the Doge of Venice is a fan of sorts.But the current Pope isn't and he's sent one of his best Inquisitors in the person of Bishop Jeremy Irons to once and for all stamp out the heresy he's spreading. Loose behavior is fine for the Renaissance, but now that we've got Protestants to contend with of all kinds, we'd better keep our own image intact, an image that Casanova is wrecking daily.It's too bad that classically romantic players like Errol Flynn or Tyrone Power, Douglas Fairbanks,Jr., or Louis Hayward when we had them in abundance never took on Casanova as a role. Heath Ledger is a good substitute, but I would love to have heard that dialog coming from one of them. Oliver Platt has some nice moments as the lard merchant who wants very much to get a little Casanova like action that his portly frame will allow. Casanova is a film that's good, but kind of out of its time.

Because I had read so many lukewarm reviews of this period costumer, I had expected very little and was amazed at how charming and witty and traditional it was, how much fun was reflected in the romantic plot, and what a charmer Heath Ledger is! Having first seen him in Brokeback Mountain, where he plays the moody, taciturn Ennis, the change was remarkable--his comic timing impeccable, his energy level delightful and his sparring with the equally well-cast female stars perfect.The public has largely ignored this film, perhaps because the public wants explosions and crude teen jokes and constant mind-numbing computer-generated effects; this film offers luxurious settings, lavish costumes of early Venice, a quietly droll performance by Jeremy Irons in deep purple church drag, and a fabulously funny turn by Oliver Platt as the Italian Lard King (really!)This isn't the intense, strange and kinky Fellini Casanova, a fascinating film in it's own right, but Ledger makes this one delightful romp well worth watching twice.