An actors’ movie is different in comparison to what’s often released now. When actors are the main focus of the film, everything revolves around humanity and less about spectacle or extravagance. A Late Quartet is definitely an actors’ movie. There’s no FX, no heroes saving the day, and certainly no formula writing. This lesser known gem came out in 2012 but it was packed with some serious acting talent. Christopher Walken, Catherine Keener, and the late great Philip Seymour Hoffman headlined the production with the aid of Ukrainian born actor Mark Ivanir and the at the time up-and-comer Imogen Poots.
A Late Quartet is probably about ego and pride more than anything. It follows four musicians who years prior had formed a string quartet together, all of whom have their own personal issues to deal with. There’s Robert and Juliette who are married, Daniel the perfectionist, and Peter who is the oldest and who brought the group together. There’s a slow but subtly growing tension between Robert and Daniel; as Robert believes he’s perceived as less than Daniel, he of whom is perceived to have shaped the overall direction of the group. This also creates a rift between Robert and Juliette as she’s then forced to take sides. Peter on the other hand, is dealing with something far worse than the rest of them are.
Writer/director Yaron Zilberman, assisted by writer Seth Grossman, kept things sweet and easy with A Late Quartet.
Writer/director Yaron Zilberman, assisted by writer Seth Grossman, kept things sweet and easy with A Late Quartet. The acting is everything. The music is there, but the story is more about the deteriorating relationship between the characters and their struggle to keep their group together. The performances from every player were adept and consistent, the best part being that every actor was given more than enough moments to shine on their own. Clearly Zilberman and Grossman wrote the script with the actors in mind and they certainly thanked them for it onscreen. Christopher Walken is actually as ‘normal’ as he’s ever been, all but abandoning his unique style of delivery and notoriously familiar mannerisms that only he can do. Hoffman steals every scene whether it’s with Keener or with Ivanir. This shouldn’t come as a shock being that Hoffman was at the top of his game just before he would pass away two years later. Imogen Poots was still getting her feet when this was released but there’s no doubting that her performance here spring boarded her into more opportunities soon after.
There honestly wasn’t a false note anywhere. For what it is, A Late Quartet is a solid display of performance art and also storytelling. Everything about it is true to life and at no point did Zilberman squander his chance at directing such esteemed talent, with this actually being his first feature film. It’s almost criminal that films like this don’t get more notoriety. Maybe it’s that it hits too close to home for so many. It could also be marketing. Whatever the reason, it’s sure to find its audience in due time.
