The Comfort of Strangers

Some late-night week ago while pressing the remote on tv and trying to find some good shows to watch, I was lucky to chance upon a

1990 movie playing on MGM channel.  First thing that caught my attention was the setting of the film, for it was in enchanting Venice.  Then I saw the actress, Natasha Richardson.  I like her. She always stars in unique motion pictures, with an equally distinctive storyline.  Then I had to ask myself over and over again:  Is that Rupert Everett?  He looked and was still boyishly (or should I say gayishly, as he admitted being gay late 90’s? anyway that’s another story) young on this film.   For some reason this film just captivated me and I found myself anticipating each scene…even though I didn’t know what it was about, as it was probably playing a good 20 minutes when I found it. I didn’t know the title, no clue on the plot…but I feel something dreadful, immoral and horrific was going to happen!  And I don’t want it to!  I don’t want to envision that on lovely Venice!  Natasha and Rupert plays young lovers who went to Venice to ‘rekindle’ their romance and ‘maybe’ decide to get married after their trip to this romantic city is over.  It sounds like every lovers dream holiday.  Then on one dark night, on the narrow alleys of Venice, they meet Christopher Walken!  You don’t really want to meet Christopher Walken in the middle of the night (not literally) not in this story anyway!  Mr. Walken is such a brilliant actor, and nobody can portray evil or foreboding like he does!  The way he speaks in this film gives you chills and I kept telling myself: Please lovers stay away from him!  But alas, this wasn’t so, for this isn’t a romantic comedy, there is no happy ever after, not even hope ~ only a sad, inexplicable drama that you wished you hadn’t witnessed. But in a strange way…you’re glad you also did!  BRAVO for this truly worthy and haunting film!

 

Author’s note:  My Movie Buff blog is mostly based on films I’ve recently watched in movie theaters.  This time, I make an exception for this one.  Maybe I should just blog on all movies I’ve watched regardless of seeing it on cinema or at the comfort of my home.  What do you think?