You're never to old for a Rodeo. That's part of the reason Peter O'Toole is so delightful in Venus, the story of an aging British actor who becomes infatuated by a beautiful young woman. The movie centers around Peter O'Toole hanging out with other old British men, who drink heavily and rip on each other constantly, while still looking after one another. The interactions are both endearing and hilarious. O'Toole delivers on every punchline, but putting the lines in print doesn't do them justice. He combines lecherousness and impotence in a manner you rarely see on the silver screen.
There are nice performances from newcomer Jodie Whittaker and oldtimer Richard Griffiths, though he doesn't quite reach the level of his classic dual role in The Naked Gun 2 1/2.
This film is compact and insubstantial, and occasionally boring. After watching so many Oscar nominees recently, a small story is welcome. Mainly, this film is perfect for my mom, since it has:
1. British accents
2. Adorable old men
3. A soundtrack provided by her new favorite artist, Corinne Bailey Rae.
O'Toole is nominated for Best Actor, an award he has never won and will certainly not win this year. I'm sure that he'll be fine with that as long as he has a well-mixed drink. The ability to mix drinks, once acquired, is a talent that will serve you for life.
