Making "Quartet," a film about life in the spotlight and the drive to stay in the game, doesn’t seem like much of a stretch — or a risk — for Dustin Hoffman. With a storied career that is still lively at 75, he certainly knows the terrain.
But instead of delving into the human psyche, as he’s done so unflinchingly in too many roles to mention, the actor’s first turn in the director’s chair is a genteel comedy.
Not to get xenophobic about it, but "Quartet" is a quintessentially British production from this quintessentially American actor. There are no echoes of "Tootsie" in its humor, or "The Fockers," for that matter. It’s set in a refined "Masterpiece Theatre"-styled world of aging musicians, their final days playing out in a British retirement home that has the elegant comfort of a squire’s country estate.
‘QUARTET’
Rated: PG-13
 
Opens today at Kahala 8 |
Rather than fading flowers, they are a spirited bunch busy rekindling old flames and settling ancient grudges in between practicing scales. Add a mischievous rake and a diva or two and you’ve got a delightful ensemble piece that hums along nicely, but lightly.
No doubt it was "Quartet’s" heavy-on-the-acting, easy-on-the-action foundation that drew Hoffman’s attention. He has certainly stacked the deck in the casting department. Cherry-picking from the United Kingdom’s upper crust, the movie stars Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly, Tom Courtenay, Michael Gambon and Pauline Collins. You can feel the depth of their experience on screen.
Oscar-winning screenwriter Ronald Harwood adapted the film from his 1999 play. The narrative is tightly focused on the group dynamics under the roof of Beecham House and of course, affairs of the heart. Life proceeds at a leisurely pace here; a game of croquet or a garden stroll passes for action.
Director of photography John de Borman isn’t in any hurry either, eloquently capturing the nobility of the weathered faces, arthritic hands, bent backs, unsteady gaits. "Quartet" doesn’t so much celebrate the effects of the years; rather, it unapologetically gives them their due.
In a theme that seems ever present in movies these days, Beecham House is in financial straits and facing closure. The remedy is the proverbial "let’s get the gang together and put on a show," albeit with more panache. The gala will celebrate Verdi’s birthday with some appropriately challenging selections from "Rigoletto" and "La Traviata" in this excellent score (music supervisor Kle Savidge; Dario Marianelli, composer).
The bursts of energy that accompany practices and performances are woven throughout and give the film much of its vigor. A Tosca aria by real opera great Gwyneth Jones, who plays the house’s reigning diva, is a high note.
"Quartet" is very much a performance piece, which plays to Hoffman’s strength; as an actor he knows when to allow this excellent ensemble breathing room and when to tighten the belt. The script has some nice turns of phrase and a lot of sentiment, but never reaches the emotional heights Harwood has in his best work, the Oscar-winning "The Pianist" topping all the rest.
At the end of the day "Quartet" is about final acts and in that it seems a film with modest aspirations. No big bang here, just a troupe of old friends trying to put on the best show they can.
