Unique

Rating: 8/10 (3 April 2017)

Youth is a film that ironically would have been wasted on me when I was younger. My 20 year old self would have hated this film and probably switched it off after 15 minutes. So I can understand the mixed reviews this film gets. There is little or no action until the last 20 minutes, but for me the best parts were the quiet scenes with no action. There are many scenes where something is hinted at or insinuated. But nothing is ever spelled out for you. I was left thinking a lot about what I had just seen, trying to interpret what it meant or what was about to happen when the scene ended. Youth is beautifully shot, so if you're in the mood for a quiet film with gorgeous visuals and a dreamy soundtrack this is perfect. The plot, or more precisely the premise is about a group of people in a very picturesque holiday resort where everything looks heavenly and relaxing. They talk about life and old age etc. It sounds dull but for me those were the best parts. I only felt it lost its way towards the end, specifically at the moment Jane Fonda showed up. Even though she's very good in this (as is everyone else), her first scene is a long drawn out conversation with Harvey Keitel which shifts the mood of the piece completely. For the first time in the film I found myself bored because the scene dragged me out of the dreamlike mood that had gone before. After that the film trudged on to its finale but never recaptured the spirit of the first 90 minutes. But overall I recommend this film because it was unlike anything else I can recall seeing.