Passionada (2002)

Disappointed
I am as big a fan of romances as the next poor sap but this one failed my expectations in too many ways: mostly direction and screen writing I suppose. Emmy Rossum always adds a happy, sweet, bright flash of enthusiasm to the movies she appears in but her character loses the thread in the plot halfway thru.

Milos is gorgeous but she's leaden in this role, much as she is in CSI Miami, mostly just walking around looking good, but uninspired. And if she can sing, it still looks like she's lip-synching.

Isaacs is pretty good until he loses all dignity and starts groveling.

But I loved New Bedford, Massachusetts!

Romantic movie for the people over 35
It's improbable but perhaps that's part of it's appeal. It's about a British gambler that has been blacklisted from every casino in the world who falls in love with a barely middle age beautiful widow.

It's a simple story but the characters are appealing. Well, the lead actor grows on you. But I found the widow and her teenage daughter likable from the beginning.

It's a love story for anyone who believes or wants to believe in second chances in life.

A little romance.
I will admit that I bought this movie simply because Jason Isaacs is in it. That said, I enjoyed the movie. It's a light, pleasant little romance set in a gorgeous place. In fact, New Bedford is practically a separate charcter, and a lovely and appealing one, at that.

Although the themes in this movie aren't very complex, and the story isn't all that original, the characters are attractive and likable, and I have to give everyone involved snaps for the beautiful settings and especially for the wonderfully erotic scene in which Celia (Sofia Milos) feeds Charlie (Jason Isaacs) bits of food, and he sucks on her fingers. It's very sensual, without being explicit or tawdry, and it leads to some really fantastic kissing between Jason and Sofia.

The DVD commentary from Jason, Sofia, and the director Dan Ireland is just about the most entertaining commentary I've ever heard on a movie. In fact, the commentary is more entertaining than the movie, because Jason is so clever and funny, and Dan and Sofia are both so sincere in their fondness for the setting and the wonderful fado music. The sensual scene noted above is particularly fun listening on the commentary, with Jason talking about how difficult it is to both play and to watch himself play romantic scenes, Sofia talking about how she fell a little bit in love with Jason during that scene, and Dan alternately teasing them and lavishing praise on them for the passion in the scene. It's pretty obvious that the three of them like and respect each other and really enjoyed working together on this movie. It is also interesting to hear them talk about how disappointed and a little hurt they were that the the film didn't do better at the box office.

I gave this movie a 4, although a 3 1/2 might be more appropriate. It is beautifully shot, the performances are all very fine, the music is amazing, but the story is just a little too predictable.