Florida Atlantic University's first student-run news source.

UNIVERSITY PRESS

Florida Atlantic University's first student-run news source.

UNIVERSITY PRESS

Florida Atlantic University's first student-run news source.

UNIVERSITY PRESS

Review: A Late Quartet, now playing in FAU Living Room Theater

Sometimes, even the simplest things can determine whether bonds are unbreakable or can be torn apart in a matter of seconds.

This is director Yaron Zilberman’s main focus in the film A Late Quartet, now playing at FAU’s Living Room Theater. It shows what happens when a quartet’s three band mates cause a heated rift between themselves.

A Late Quartet. Photo courtesy of FAU Living Room Theaters.

The film is centered on a string quartet setting up for their 25th anniversary concert. But, when cellist Peter Mitchell, played by The Deer Hunter’s Christopher Walken, decides he wants to retire after finding out he’s diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, he wants the three members of the troupe to recruit a replacement cellist. When Robert (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) uses this as an opportunity to propose becoming the lead violinist instead of the second violinist to the lead, Daniel (Mark Ivanir), it results in many repressed emotions coming out.

The musicians, along with Robert’s wife Juliette (Catherine Keener), don’t know whether to stay together or break up out of their disdain for each other.

The script is heavy in melodrama and many events happen just to let the cast have an opportunity for a heated shouting match. At times, they rely too much on giving everyone a chance to cry and yell, but the actors cast are the film’s saving grace. Hoffman put his all into the jealous yet sympathetic Robert in a performance that rivals his character, Lancaster Dodd in The Master. Walken is also at his peak, playing Peter in a dramatic performance as a kind, intelligent sage who is burdened by his inability to play the way he used to and the rifts between himself, Robert, Daniel and Juliette.

A Late Quartet is a dramatic film that gets the audience involved with the well-acted characters and their struggles. While it does focus too much on Daniel, the most irritating character of the three remaining musicians, it doesn’t take away from the wonderful performances from Walken and Hoffman. The plot would have been better if it was less melodramatic, but it is worth seeing just for the groundbreaking acting.

A Late Quartet is now playing at the Living Room Theater weekends at 12:10 p.m., 2:35 p.m., 5:15 p.m., 7:20 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. and weekdays at 5:15 p.m., 7:20 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Final Grade: B+

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