Unfinished Song is one of those films that had a lot of potential but never quite delivered on said potential enough. It's the type of film that was written to manipulate the audience. It forces so much down the audience's throats to the point where one may feel the urge to yell "Stop it!" at the screen. The film, however, also does some good with its manipulation. In the last 5-10 minutes....the film defies the audience to have one member who is dry eyed. Judging by my audience....this might be an impossible task. Up to that point, though, the film mainly just wallows in its own blandness.
The film follows Arthur (Terence Stamp) and his wife Marion (Vanessa Redgrave.) Arthur is a miserable old kook who loves his wife dearly but wants to be left alone by everyone else. One day---Marion tells Arthur that he has to take her to singing lessons for her choir. Arthur's skeptical to say the least and it might even be the last thing in the world he wants to do. However, seeing as Marion's not doing well---Arthur reluctantly agrees. Now---before I go on with the plot summary---some of you may not know what happens next so if you don't please skip to the next paragraph. It's only when Marion dies that Arthur really becomes involved in her choir. He develops a friendship with young Elizabeth (Gemma Arterton)---the unlucky in love gal who runs the choir and tries to find a way to make everything up to his estranged son (Christopher Eccleston.)
Perhaps I'm being too much like Arthur here but the film---even with is 90 minute run time is quite slow. I sat there watching the end credits roll thinking I had just watched a two hour film. It was then that I looked at my watch and realized I had only been in the theater for an hour and a half. This is a major flaw of the film. The film keeps adding new stuff to the plot that isn't really needed except to pad the length. Also---writer-director Paul Andrew Williams doesn't really seem comfortable with the material. His last three feature length films were two crime dramas/thrillers (London To Brighton, Cherry Tree Lane) and a horror-comedy (The Cottage.) It showed that Williams was not used to writing a screenplay about a geriatric choir singing songs about sex or about a man who must join said choir under his wife's request.
The performances, however, are all fantastic. Stamp shows the kind of incredible charisma that has let him work in the film industry for so many years. Redgrave gives the character of Marion a genuine feel that makes it so that the audience has all the more sympathy for her. Arterton is a sweet and natural presence who gives the character of Elizabeth just the spunk she needs. Also---the film is very touching throughout. As the audience gets to see Arthur grow more and more as a person---we start to see why he's so grumpy. Arthur is one of those men who's been through a lot and that's why we like him so much despite his grouchiness. And as I mentioned before...don't even get me started on the last 10 minutes.
It may not be a masterpiece but Unfinished Song is miles and miles above similar films such as last year's The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Quartet. The difference between those films and this one is that Unfinished Song doesn't use the seniors as a gateway to laughs. It doesn't have them talk dirty or be typical wacky old folks. It treats them with genuine respect and to that I say congratulations, Unfinished Song...you have my vote.
(3 and 1/2 out of 5 Stars, The film is rated PG-13 for some sexual references and rude gestures)
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