WasAnnon Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

Pacionsbo Absolutely Fantastic

Huievest Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

Cody One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

skillswordfish Although I truly love watching this entire cast in other movies, I recorded this on my DVR for one reason only: Hiroyuki Sanada. And I'm so glad I did. A long time fan of Ivory/Merchant films, I expected a story to unfold beautifully and it definitely does here. It's soft, subtle, realistic, and warm. It's like spending an evening in front of a cozy fire with good company. Nothing is over acted, there's no fancy effects or crazy cinematography, just good, solid storytelling with an absolutely perfect cast. These are the films Hollywood should aspire to. I've had enough of 3D action and fantasy films for awhile. So please, watch this and remember why we fell in love with film.

gradyharp James Cameron's elegant, wistful novel THE CITY OF YOUR FINAL DESTINATION has been well transitioned to the screen by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and director James Ivory: in so many ways this film brings a host of fond memories of all of the films made by the members of Merchant Ivory films. It has the same sense of grace of transporting one culture into another, of examining interpersonal relationships as they are tied to etiquette and tradition and family, and the chances we take in the name of self-fulfillment and love. It is a mood piece and a delectable offering for the brain. Omar Razaghi (Omar Metwally) is a postgraduate student and instructor at a Colorado College, living in a tenuous relationship with Deirdre (Alexandra Maria Lara), and delaying his desire to write his PhD thesis -a proposed biography of deceased novelist Jules Gund. He is unhappy with his life, frustrated that his thesis committee will not approve of his dissertation unless he has the family of Jules Gund's permission to write the biography. After a little nudge from a colleague he decides to travel to Uruguay - without Deirdre - to gain permission from the Gund family to proceed. Deirdre, hurt because Omar wants to go without her, insists that Omar travel to Uruguay: this may his only chance to step out of the life whose rut he is in and move on to higher means. Omar journeys to Uruguay where he meets the Gund 'family' - Gund's gay brother, Adam (Anthony Hopkins) and his lover of 25 years Pete (Hiroyuki Sanada); former wife Caroline (Laura Linney); and Arden (Charlotte Gainsbourg), Gund's mistress and mother of Gund's daughter, Portia. Though greeted with hospitality it is clear that the family, as executors of Gund's estate, refuse to give Omar permission. Omar is invited to live with the Gund's until he can make arrangements to return to the US, but the visit is extended, allowing for changes to insert in the family unity as each one slowly agrees to allow Omar to write the biography. Omar has a fall, is recovered by Arden (Deirdre flies to Uruguay for support but senses the change in Omar's feelings with Arden), and during his recovery Omar awakens to what he really wants in life - love, beauty, and the freedom to express himself in all matters. In the manner of fine story telling, there are excellent moments of passion, and comedy, and a fine dissection of family life in all its permutations. The cast is uniformly excellent, composed of such a stellar group of actors. This is a quiet adagio of a film, filled with charm, elegant cinematography by Javier Aguirresarobe, and fine music - both from the classics and from contemporary writing by Jorge Drexler. This film retains the 'Merchant Ivory': and that says enough! Grady Harp, August 10

tigerfish50 The basic premise of "The City of Your Final Destination" is almost identical to "The Aspern Papers". Omar, a professor of literature at a provincial US college, plans to write the biography of an author who has committed suicide, but the deceased man's widow, mistress and brother refuse to authorize his project. Omar leaves his bossy girlfriend Deirdre in the US, and travels to Uruguay to persuade the eccentric trio to change their minds. On arrival, he finds them living in uneasy bohemian splendor at their ranch estate. Inexplicably Omar is invited to stay, and is soon attracted to the author's former mistress, even though this complication might endanger his literary quest.The film's chief weakness becomes sharply apparent at this point - Ivory and Jhabvala seem unsure whether they are making a drama or a comedy. Laura Linney's widow Caroline attempts to keep a foot in both camps, while Anthony Hopkins opts for comedy and hams it up as the gay brother. The romantic element sputters weakly as Charlotte Gainsbourg's ex-mistress tries to make something of the tepid intrigue provided by the script. The literary authorization fizzles away into a non-event as the film zigzags unconvincingly between the various genres - and by the time the confused Omar has fallen off a ladder and into a coma, requiring the arrival of humorless Deirdre to nurse him back to health, it's clear the film has irretrievably lost its way. Eventually, everything wrapped up in a moldy blanket of romantic comedy when a pair of damp lovers embrace their predictable fate in a torrential rainstorm.

Conrad Johnson I recently saw this film at a festival in a nearby town. I was very disappointed to find that it was not a sequel to the ever lasting "Final Destination" series, because at least then I would have no expectations for the film. I stepped into the theater and as the film began to roll it showed beautiful scenery but as the film went on my hopes slowly fell by the minute. After watching for an hour I wanted to walk out of the theater and not look back, but out of respect for any members of the cast or film crew I sat in my seat hoping each minute would conclude the film. The acting was bland and showed the least emotion in a role I have seen since the Bill O' Riley show. I hope that says enough, because the actors might as well have been reading off a teleprompter. The only amusing part of the film was Anthony Hopkins wit and flamboyant humor. But not even the Oscar winning actor could save this sinking ship movie, the titanic has a better chance of floating again then this movie does of being seen by me twice.