Mr Morgan's Last Love, film review: Michael Caine combines charm, self-pity and anger

(12a) Sandra Nettelbeck, 116 mins Starring: Michael Caine, Clémence Poé

Geoffrey Macnab
Friday 11 July 2014 13:43 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Michael Caine is always worth watching. He gives a typically rich and understated performance as a retired American philosophy professor.

Mr Morgan doesn't speak a word of French but still lives in Paris because it reminds him of his beloved late wife (Jane Alexander), who appears, ghost-like, from time to time. He's grief-stricken and a bit of a curmudgeon, at least until he meets beautiful young cha- cha teacher Pauline (Clémence Poésy). Soon, he is hoofing away with all the other pensioners at her dance school.

His grown-up children (Gillian Anderson and Justin Kirk), whom he has long neglected, are suspicious of his new infatuation. Adapted from Françoise Dorner's novel La Douceur Assassine, the film is a little too soft-centred to do justice to its own themes of bereavement, jealousy and family breakdown.

Caine's American accent doesn't sound entirely natural but he is such a consummate screen actor that this hardly matters. His character here combines charm, self-pity, surliness and anger. The pity is that Sandra Nettelbeck didn't push him harder or take a tougher, less sentimental approach to her material.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in