Eternal Youth

For many years, former composer Fred (Michael Caine) and filmmaker Mick (Harvey Keitel) have been close friends. They enjoy spending time together. This is also the case at the idyllically located spa hotel where the men enjoy the peace and seclusion. However, for very different reasons. Because while Mick is looking for inspiration for his latest film here, Fred just wants to live out his retirement and the sweet idleness that comes with it. Even when the Queen herself asks him to perform his legendary Simple Songs once more, Fred refuses, to the shock of his daughter and manager Lena (Rachel Weisz). But while taking walks together with Mick or philosophizing by the pool, he realizes that you can't escape your past any more than you can escape inevitable aging.

With Eternal Youth, director Paolo Sorrentino (La Grande Bellezza) delivers his second English-language feature. His drama about friendship and aging is first and foremost a feast for the eyes. The filming locations alone, which include the hotel that inspired Thomas Mann's The Magic Mountain, create a very special atmosphere that is hard to resist. In addition, there are some quite wonderful moments, such as when the sounds of nature - from cowbells to the rustling of trees - turn into a symphony in Fred's head, which he conducts with devotion. But here's the problem with the film: it's not much more than a series of snapshots.

So there are some scenes that make you wonder what they're all about. They don't represent any part of the already fragmentary narrative, but rather seem haphazard and disjointed. It's pretty to look at, sometimes downright poetic or very amusing. But there is only limited real cohesion between such moments. If you're expecting a story in the classic sense, you'll be disappointed here. Because what the film tells is very thin and not as deep-psychologically valuable as it would obviously like to be.

Despite wonderful actors, beautiful images and some great moments, Eternal Youth is, on balance, unfortunately, no more than cultivated boredom. For some viewers, however, this rush of images could be exactly what the protagonists are looking for in their holiday home: Pure relaxation. Those who can get involved with the somewhat idiosyncratic and very worn staging and let themselves be carried primarily by the imagery are guaranteed to discover the beauty that the film hides behind its somewhat tough facade. And for such viewers then also applies a somewhat restrained: Worth seeing!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp