IR Film Review: CASANOVA, LAST LOVE [Cohen Media Group]

The approach in "Casanova, Last Love" exploring the legendary romancer when he is exiled from France to London for a short time is an interesting exploration in approach and ideas of both class and behavior in an era. Like other times in history, the perspective of Casanova's years, either from a young or old perspective, seems compromised in its own elegance versus the idea of life choices among anything else. Vincent Lindon plays Casanova in the latter parts of his life as a 60 year old man but his conquests range from those who know who he is to a mix of prostitution brought along by his reputation.

This is an intriguing conundrum since his true station in that reasoning is not made clear. He always repeals to the idea of "that is not what I am". People in this arena flagellate their intent (much like social media mavens are always posing) but only give a sense of their real selves to their real friends. The most true representation is between him and Le Cornelys (played by Valeria Golino) [who functions in a different but similar role as she did many years earlier in "Immortal Beloved" with Gary Oldman]. There is a texture of truth in Golino's existence as this woman because she realizes the way the world works, has made her fortune and knows the consequences as it moves away from her grasp. An early in the film stroll by Casanova through a park discusses and yet disguises what that world truly is.

The aspect of the "Last Love" is used as a flashback point by a young lady interviewing the older Casanova (though we do not know his age or her relationship to him) as he recounts this detour in his life. The last love was a young courtesan who beguiles him and plays her own game to see his actual mettle. The cat-and-mouse when everything is for sale is an interesting exercise so it is enlightening and yet maddening to see that she does not set her sights higher and yet there is psychological reasoning though the backstory that is not fully fleshed out. It is more left to conjecture on purpose as to her motivation. Nonetheless it is an different approach to the lore of the man defining that he is only human. B

By Tim Wassberg