"The City of Your Final Destination" Review - Written by Cavepearl

This week is the start of Oscar season. While everyone is scrambling to watch the nominees before air time, lets us visit an overlooked film that has many Oscar caliber stars. In the days of yore, the film THE CITY OF YOUR FINAL DESTINATION (TCoyFD) would have been considered Oscar bait just on director and producer alone.

Director James Ivory has been fairly quiet since the death of Ismail Merchant. There was time when adding Merchant and Ivory to a film name, would automatically get consideration, and deservedly so. They made great Oscar nominated films together like A ROOM WITH A VIEW (1985), HOWARDS END (1992) and THE REMAINS OF THE DAY (1993). Their last film together THE WHITE COUNTESS (2005) got some recognition (released after Merchant’s death). But since then, the branding has not drawn as much attention to itself as it has in the past.

So it was really nice to see that James Ivory is still true to form. He tells simple stories about human relationships, often with either historical or exotic locations as a backdrop. This film is no different but has a slight modern twist. TCoyFD starts as a girlfriend (Alexandra Maria Lara) coaxes her reserved boyfriend Omar (Omar Metwally) to fly to Uruguay to get the rights to a biography on the life of deceased author Jules Gund. While there, he meets an interesting cast of characters that includes Jules homosexual brother (Anthony Hopkins), his hardened widow (Laura Linney) and his long time mistress (Charlotte Gainsbourg). This unlikely trio has come to a truce to keep Gund’s legacy from ill fame. But with Omar’s disarming charm he slowly wins over the group one-by-one. Of course, in the process he learns something about himself and actually has a late coming of age. He learns to become his own man when normally he is ghost, following his more successful and ambitious girlfriend.

The acting is as superb as any Merchant Ivory production. I actually watched this film alone just to see Hopkins and Linney play off of each other. Laura Linney, a three time Oscar nominee, is one of the most underrated actresses of her generation and has often been the bridesmaid but is long overdue to become the bride. However with the academy’s trend for giving the Oscar to young ingénues, once again, a really good performance from her is overlooked.

Yet not just the Oscar alums give a strong performance. This film may be an indicator of future Oscar races to come. In particular, AMPAS should consider giving a future nod to the young Charlotte Gainsbourg. She has yet to be nominated by the Academy, but has won half of her world-wide nominations. In fact she has won already this year in several races for her BRAVE performance in Lars von Tiers ANTICHRIST (2009). Ironically that film I can barley stomach but don’t deny that she was beyond devoted. She always gives everything she’s got in her roles whether it is self destruction like in ANTICHRIST, to a surreal dream like THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP (2006) or even an edgy minimalist historical film like the completely overlooked (and my favorite or hers) THE GOLDEN DOOR (2006). With TCoyFD, she shines as the heart of a film about cold comfort.

But these great actors are really just in supporting roles. What about the lead Omar? This is where the film and I come to a disagreement. I find him to be a void, like he is not really in the film at all. He is a passive voice and just a catalyst for what is to come. It could be that he is just outshined by his glorious supporting cast. However two-thirds the way thorough the film, he actually is in a coma. Anyone could have played his part. I did not quite feel an emotional connection with the lead actor despite the competent story arc he is following.

I also was little unhappy with the underuse of Alexandra Maria Lara as Omar’s domineering girlfriend. She is also an actress that I am sure we will see more of. She has four awards already under her belt and was the lead in the fabulous Oscar winning German film DOWNFALL (2004). I am often excited to see her, but here she is almost completely one note. She is a overbearing cipher that you question why such a gentle person like Omar would even get entangled with. She does meet her match in Linney’s widow, but the whole third act feels a bit forced. She would not be missed if her character was cut, but since the film ends with her story arc, it is unfortunate that she is playing such an unlikable character. Yet she still makes the most of her part and is more memorable than the lead himself. Overall, Ivory more than makes up for the flaws of the script with good performances and excellent set pieces. You really do feel you are in a place far removed from the real life all these characters are avoiding.

So while you are devouring too quickly this year’s Oscar nods, please remember that not all films that are Oscar caliber even get shortlisted. THE CITY OF YOU FINAL DETINATION is a refreshing walk in the past when Merchant and Ivory were still kings. Watch this film now and then go back to it in a couple of years when Gainsbourg will get her inevitable Oscar nod. Realize that Ivory still knows how to make a film and more importantly get some of the best performances out of his stellar casts. He is still a visionary of what is to come and should never be ignored, despite his partner’s untimely death. I was pleased to spend time in his world(s) again. You will be too.

GRADE B+