Movie Review: Mr. Morgan's Last Love

Mr. Morgan's Last Love a.k.a Last Love 

Kaminski.Stiehm.Film GmbH, Bavaria Pictures, Senator Film, Scope Pictures, Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, Elzévir Films, SCOPE Invest, Germany, Belgium, USA, France, 2013. 

Based on the novel "La douceur assassine" by Francoise Dorner.

Matthew Morgan's (Michael Caine) wife has died and he has lost will to live. He has also estranged from his children. Despite living in Paris for years he can not speak French. He has a lady friend Colette (Anne Alvaro) to whom he teaches English but the chemistries do not match, so what are you going to do. 

Colette

Matthew and Pauline

One day he meets a young French lady Pauline (Clémence Poésy) and begins to brisk up again. He tries to forget the past. However he understands that any romance with her would be impossible. Also letting the past go is impossible so he tries to kill himself. Matthew's busy children come to see their father in the hospital. Son Miles (Justin Kirk) and daughter Karen (Gillian Anderson) do not understand Matthew's friendship with Pauline. Pauline has a tendency of trying to solve other people's problems so she tries to bring Matthew and Miles back together but she has her own problems too. 

Karen and Miles

It is a tranquil and slow-burning tale of cross-generation friendship but also quite depressing. While not as grim and heavyweight as "Leaving Las Vegas" it has same king of sadness for a life approaching its end. Every character has their own problems and in no way all problems can be solved. The whole experience however suffers from the lack of satisfying resolution that makes the ending feel a bit pointless. Without reading the book I do not know if this results from the original novel or not. Michael Caine pulls the role with usual charisma and dignity and Clémence Poésy is a sweet Parisienne. Gillian Anderson's brief visit brings some humour to the otherwise serious film. 

Batman reference in 0:24:39.

Rating: Good

Starring: Michael Caine, Michelle Goddet, Jane Alexander, Serge Hollogne, Fred Fuchs, Yohan Guignard, Dieter Rupp, Gillian Anderson, Christelle Cornil, Alix Poisson, Clémence Poésy, Louis-Julien Petit, Thierry Angelvi, Justin Kirk, Deshaun Strong, Ian Fenelon, Anne Alvaro, Dominique Fouilland, Richard Hope, Mike Olembo, Hugues Hausman, Claude Vandersaenen, Yannick Choirat, Jean-Marc Favorin, Emilie Lecluse, Alexis Goslain, Lætitia Reva, Laure Lalane, Alain Perpète, Sabeline Amaury, Philippe Guinet, Amélie Glenn, Geoffroy Fichefet, Patricia Sidarous, Silvana Scelfo, Timothée Marquis, Aurore Flament, Audrey-Anne Bouchard, Thibault Flament, Jean-Philippe Dauphin, Ronald Fransen, Anne-Marie Dormans, Anifa Plichard, Olivier Chapusette, Koen Michiels, Emanuelle Alaluf, Marianne Vandereecken, Manon Fichefet, Laurie Grard, Fernando Martin, Ana Giovanelli, Josée Notte, Frédy Kimpinaire, Marc Vermeir, Daniel Deprez, Louis Francken, Jacqueline Planché, Nicole Francken, Rita Locus, Jacinta Keogh, Michèle Laurent, Alain Van Houtte, Jean Pol Noël, Catherine Robert, Anne Mayeur, Xavier Guidon, Raymonde Klapdoor, Jean-Claude Faur, Kevina Amedio, Sylvie Jeannesson, Micheline Delbauve, Michèle Hallut, Julien Meland, Nina Sirbiladze, Walter Schroyens, Dorian Mac Donald, Marie Martinez, Dajana Djedovic, Sonja Bruyninckx, Sven Breynaert, Patricia Lafourcade, Piotr Zajaczkowski, Peter Forret, Malwina Grezlak, Gabriella Scozzi, Dirk Smout, Ines Junca, Monika Kosmalska, Vincent Eaton, Jean-Claude Matthey, Eddy Tornado 

Director: Sandra Nettelbeck