Cool, competent take on a Russian classic
The Seagull
(out of four) Starring Annette Bening, Corey Stoll, Brian Dennehy. Directed by Michael Mayer. Opens Friday at Cineplex Odeon Varsity. 99 minutes. PG How well does a century-old classic by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov translate for a modern audience of cineastes?
Well, it has a number of things working in its favour, including aliterate screenplay by Stephen Karam, a playwright twice nominated for the Pulitzer.
The cast is everything one could hope for, including the always delightful Annette Bening as aging but still vibrant stage actress Irina Arkadina, who brings her younger lover, Boris Trigorin, to visit the country estate of her ailing brother Sorin (the venerable Brian Dennehy).
The visit sets off a chain of events — including unrequited love — that ultimately leads to tragedy.
The story centres on Irina’s son, Konstantin (Billy Howle), a would-be writer who practically revels in the existential gloom of his existence.
The one bright spot in his life is his love for Nina (Saoirse Ronan), a willowy neighbour who’s drawn to the older Boris, who’s already a successful writer. Meanwhile, Masha (Elisa- beth Moss) longs for Konstanin while poor local schoolteacher Mikhail (Michael Zegen) longs for her.
Director Michael Mayer does a fine job of capturing the indolence and languor of the bucolic setting and drawing us into the emotional torment of many of the principals, including Konstantin, but also Irina, who fears the loss of her younger paramour to an even younger ingenue.
Corey Stoll is particularly good as Boris, a complicated man of the world torn between the safety offered by Irina and the fresh-faced ardour of Nina. Howle is letter perfect as Konstantin, a character who feels familiar in his youthful angst.
Mayer does something a little unusual, taking a snippet from the final act and making it a brief prologue of sorts, a useful device that brings the story — which takes place over two years — full circle.
But as period dramas go, this one feels a little stiff and staid. Despite the many elements that collectively make it such a well-executed production, it may have difficulty drawing a strong emotional response from a contemporary audience.
Despite the film being a well-executed production, it may have difficulty drawing a strong emotional response