Feeling a bit cabin-feverish this week we made two visits to the cinema. "Last Chance Harvey" was a much easier movie to like than "Knowing". It's one of those tales of romance for the middle-aged, written and played in intelligent mode. Set in London. There aren't too many of the usual annoyingly touristy shots, it's nicely restrained in that department. Emma Thompson and Dustin Hoffman play the leads, other actors, of older and younger generations flit in and out, but are very much background material for the two heavyweights.
There seemed to be some real life chemistry between the two actors, which isn't surprising when you consider that they both have Fiery Suns (she Aries, he Leo, and reasonably sympathetic Moons, she Cancer, he Virgo.) Their characters in this movie are not at all like the stars' real-life natal charts indicate though.
Hoffman plays Harvey: American, late-middle aged, a divorced semi-failed musician who writes advertising jingles for a living, seems accident prone and bumbling, though kindly and well-meaning. She: Kate, English, works at Heathrow airport, attends evening classes in creative writing, early middle-aged and single. Kate appears awkward in male company, seems not overtly keen to be part of a couple.
I'll take a guess at the characters' astrological Big 3 (Sun/Moon/Ascendant). Harvey could probably have Sun in Libra (ruled by musical Venus) Moon in sensitive Cancer and ascendant hmmm....dreamy forgetful Pisces.
Kate comes over as cool and independent on the surface with an underlying lack of self confidence. She is actually warm and caring, with creative aspriations so: Sun in mutable Sagittarius, Moon in caring, often shy Cancer; ascendant.....cool, independent Aquarius.
Would they "click" with those astro patterns? Not necessarily, but there's more to natal charts than the Big 3, and there's more to love than astrology.
The movie was written and directed by Joel Hopkins - on right in photograph.
From Wikipedia:
When Hopkins was being considered to direct the 2005 children's film Nanny McPhee, for which he was ultimately unsuccessful, he met with Emma Thompson, who had written the script and would star as the title character. After seeing her in a Broadway production opposite Dustin Hoffman, Hopkins decided to write a script to emulate the interpersonal chemistry which he had seen between the two actors. He has said that the story was inspired by one of his parents' friends who was aging but still "finding his feet".
Finding one's feet is a lifetime experience, as Mr. Hopkins might come to understand as years go by!
I had expected echoes of "Bridges of Madison County" from this movie, but no, it's different. More of today, less pathos, and best of all, a happy ending. All in all, a satisfying movie, not a great one. Its memory will probably not last as long with me as "Madison County" has, but nevertheless - it's a good one.
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