Illuminata ***
rated R 119 minutes Artisan Entertainment starring John Turturro, Katherine Borowitz, Christopher Walken, Susan Sarandon, Beverly D'Angelo, Bill Irwin, Rufus Sewell, Georgina Cates, Matthew Sussman, Ben Gazzara, Leo Bassi, Donal McCann, Aida Turturro written by Brandon Cole and John Turturro directed by John Turturro
The shadow of "Shakespeare In Love" looms over John Turturro' sophomore directorial effort, "Illuminata". However, the latter film has an ingenuity and flavor all its own. Turturro stars as Tuccio, a struggling playwright in turn-of-the-century New York. Tuccio wants to stage his controversial new play, "Illuminata", but many are convinced that the work isn't yet finished. However, using his lover, Rachel(Katherine Borowitz) as his muse, he crafts a work about imperfect love. Among Turturro's eclectic cast is Susan Sarandon as an aging actress and Christopher Walken(in the film's breakaway performance) as a powerful, cynical theater critic. "Illuminata" moves at a slow pace, and is not as lighthearted or flamboyant as "Shakespeare In Love", but it is a fine film nonetheless. John Turturro, having worked with visionaries such as the Coen brothers, Spike Lee, Martin Scorsese, Robert Redford and John Dahl, knows how to make a film, and it is evident that he knows how to work with actors. No performance here is too overdone, and everyone seems to be having a lot of fun.
a capsule review by Akiva Gottlieb, The Teenage Movie Critic akiva@excite.com http://teenagemoviecritic.8m.com
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