Only Lovers Left Alive

http://www.sonyclassics.com/onlyloversleftalive/

The second film of the double bill I saw on Friday was the dark and moody vampire romance Only Lovers Left Alive. I'd heard rumblings about this movie for some time, and despite my love of all things vampiric (books, films, you name it), it was my lack of love for Tom Hiddleston that was putting me off.

Before the Hiddlestoners descend and start throwing things at me, let me elaborate. It's not that I dislike Mr Hiddleston. From the films I have seen him in and the times I have seen him interviewed, I have witnessed a very fine actor indeed and someone who seems like a perfect gentleman (with a bit of a naughty side). He appears to be an absolute delight. And no-one can deny he is a pretty one. But he just doesn't do it for me. At this point you should really be thanking me, because I am one less fangirl you need to fight off for his affections. 

It took a review of the film by fellow blogger yourturnheather to make me change my mind and go and see the film. Her review described the movie as being something akin to the anti-Twilight, and also prepared me that the film went at a snails pace, achieving very little in the end. However, her description of the stylish directing and the superior performances was enough to convince me I should make the effort to see it, if I could. That was easier said than done as the film was not showing in my local area at all, meaning I had to go out of town, and at that point my friend and I decided to make it a double bill evening, to make the most of the journey.

After the disaster of film 1 - A New York Winter's Tale - film 2 had to be better. And it was. But only marginally. I'm not going to give you a synopsis, because much like August: Osage County, there isn't really a plot to give you a synopsis of. Adam (Hiddleston) and Eve (Swinton) are a married couple of vamps who, for reasons unspecified, live on opposite sides of the globe; he in Detroit, her in Tangier. They come together after around half an hour because he's depressed and she's worried about him. After around another half an hour of the two of them not doing very much of anything, but at least doing it together, Eve's sister Ava (Wasikowska) arrives, much to Adam's annoyance. Just when you think this might spice things up, it doesn't. Ava ends up getting thrown out of Adam's pad for doing something naughty, and then Adam and Eve decide to go back to her place in Tangier, where a change of lifestyle for the two of them is imminent. 

It is here where the film would probably start to have a little more life breathed into it, and yet it is here that the credits role. The thing is, despite all of that, I wasn't really disappointed with what I saw. Yourturnheather's review had prepared me for the fact that not much happened, and not much happened. It looked very stylish, there were fangs (which was something I wanted badly after Twilight) and nobody sparkled. But that fact that I wasn't disappointed does not mean that I wouldn't have been happy with something more. 

Hiddlestoners will no doubt love the movie, if just for the amount of shirtless (and in one scene completely naked) Hiddles on display. Oh and for my Tumblr readers, there is a ridiculous amount of hand porn in this movie. For those uninitiated, that does not mean masterbation, just that there are lots of close ups of Tom's very pretty hands and long fingers. He also plays a number of guitars, a violin and the drums (I have a thing for drummers). So hard core Hiddlestoners are going to be very happy indeed, even if they don't particularly enjoy the film overall, there is a LOT for them to like. 

Gratuitous appreciations aside, Tom is also very good at being undead and depressed, and he and Tilda have a lot of chemistry together. The best scenes are undoubtedly when they are sharing screen time, because they fit so well together that you have no difficulty in imagining they have been lovers for centuries. Nothing they do seems forced, which, for a movie about creatures of the night, is something of a victory really. 

The support from John Hurt, Mia Wasikowska and Anton Yelchin, is all top notch, as we have come to expect from these actors. It's just a shame there wasn't more for them to do. Definitely one for fans of Hiddleston or Swinton, or those enamoured with the idea of a more old school vampire movie. 7 out of 10.

 

Viewing Date - 21st February 2014

UK Release Date - 21st February 2014

Cast Overview:
Adam ~ Tom Hiddleston
Eve ~ Tilda Swinton
Ava ~ Mia Wasikowska
Marlowe ~ John Hurt
Ian ~ Anton Yelchin
Dr Watson ~ Jeffrey Wright

Director/Writer ~ Jim Jarmusch