A Late Quartet

This small chamber piece captures the passion and pettiness in the lives of serious musicians. Anyone devoted to finding the balance between life and artistic ambition should be able to relate to these authentic characters. The story takes some predictable narrative turns, but that is part of the point. This is not a film meant to surprise an audience anymore than the 200-year-old music they play is. Rather, it is meant to find wisdom in action and intention. Christopher Walken is especially good in the film; this is an actor whom, after all his signature dramatic performances and his light-hearted self-deprecation outside of films, I would have thought could no longer create anything original or unexpected, but continues to do so over and over.