The Libertine

This is a movie I have been looking forward to seeing for a while. The Restoration is a great period for movies and the life of the Earl of Rochester played by Johnny Depp with John Malkovich as Charles II seemed like a bit of a winner but sadly this while movie is worth seeing it is ultimately dull.
The dialogue is funny - ranging from mock Shakespearian to modern outbursts, and the look is superb - one of the best recreations of 1660s London I've seen - but there's something unengaging about the whole thing as if it was created by a committee who had no idea what the general theme was to be - so the whole is a bit of a mess. It covers the key points of his life fine and well but it just wasn't quite interesting enough and if it didn't interest me and I love this kind of movie it isn't going to sit well with many. The female characters (in particular Samantha Morton) were better and more believable than the male - Malkovich for example has a funny stick-on nose with a funny stick-on accent too. The lighting is superb in this movie - apparently entirely shot with natural light - almost as good as Barry Lyndon for its soft candlelit interiors.
The soundtrack is by Michael Nyman - his style of composing and his background fits the period perfectly though there is a sense of deja vu over a couple of songs. Sue noticed the one that appears at the end is already on his Movie songs compilation as 'If' and if the Amazon message board is to be believed isn't on the soundtrack (presumably for copyright reasons).
Watch this film - it's definitely a film that is a worthy project and will no doubt impress you - but don't be surprised to find yourself falling asleep.
John Malkovich on the Libertine IMDB facts Review Lots of reviews!