Hostage tale delivers captivating drama
International cast shines in Stockholm Syndrome story with a Latin American twist
The hostage drama Bel Canto, from director Paul Weitz, is based on the 2001 novel by Ann Patchett, itself inspired by a 1996 incident at the Japanese embassy in Peru. But in many ways, it plays out like a version of: “With whom would you most want to be marooned on a desert island?”
That’s in part because the cast contains a host of international heavyweights including Ken Watanabe, Julianne Moore and Germany’s Sebastian Koch. But it’s also true for the characters themselves — what are the odds that a world famous opera singer would wind up in the same group of hostages as both a lover of the art form and an aspiring vocalist?
Moore plays Roxanne Coss, who is performing at a fancy function in an unnamed Latin American country. Japanese businessman Katsumi Hosokawa (Watanabe) is there with his interpreter (Ryo Kase), supposedly looking into a possible site for a new factory.
There’s a French ambassador (Christopher Lambert), a Russian millionaire (Olek Krupa), and a few more besides.
Roxanne has barely started her performance when guerrillas attack, led by Comandante Benjamin (Mexico’s Tenoch Huerta). They mistakenly thought the country’s president would be there, and decide to make the best of bad intel by holding the guests hostage until their demands are met. Koch plays Messner, a Swiss doctor who is allowed to come and go from the besieged compound, delivering news and supplies.
The screenplay, by Weitz and Anthony Weintraub, does a good job of fleshing out a large number of characters. Even the hostage-takers are portrayed as more than just gun-toting, camouflage-wearing revolutionaries. And as the days pass, friendships and even romantic relationships start to form among members of the group.
Chief among these, of course, are the two stars. It turns out Katsumi flew halfway around the world just to hear Roxanne perform (soprano Renée Fleming dubs her singing voice), and in spite of the language barrier, she soon starts falling for his gallant ways. Meanwhile, the translator falls for one of the hostage-takers, while others become friendly with their captors.
In truth, all this bonhomie threatens to suck the air out of the film; it would have been nice to see at least a couple of characters remain steadfast in their distrust of the other side. But the story is what it is, and some narrative missteps can be overlooked thanks to the work of the sterling cast.
Besides, it makes for a more dramatic finish. Captors and captives alike start talking about not getting out of the compound. Not that they expect to die there, but they start to feel as though the situation could go on forever. Of course, that’s not going to happen. Every hostage-taking ends, and the permutations of the endgame are few.
There are vicarious pleasures to be found in watching the characters inhabit this compact, hothouse universe. There’s even a bit of dark comedy: When Moore’s character steps out on a balcony to perform for the soldiers surrounding the compound, she asks: “Are you sure they won’t shoot? Not everyone likes opera.”