'Unfinished Song' leaves no tear duct untapped
鈥淯nfinished Song鈥� is one of those movies that leaves no tear duct untapped. But because it does so in ways that are meant to be classy and not schmaltzy, it will probably be taken a lot more seriously than it deserves to be. Still, the director, Paul Andrew Williams, at least had the good sense to cast Terence Stamp and Vanessa Redgrave as his leads. Who can possibly look away from those two whenever they鈥檙e on screen?
Stamp鈥檚 Arthur is a crusty pensioner on the outs with his son (Christopher Eccleston). Arthur鈥檚 wife, Marion (Redgrave), has a brain tumor but gallantly rises above her sorrow by belting out ditties with a senior citizen a cappella group. Inevitably the moment comes when Arthur, guided by the group鈥檚 alarmingly chipper director (Gemma Arterton), joins the fray 鈥� singing Billy Joel鈥檚 鈥淟ullaby鈥� no less.
Here鈥檚 a valuable moviegoing rule: Just because you use up an entire handful of hankies doesn鈥檛 mean a movie鈥檚 great. But Stamp and Redgrave are the real deal. Grade: B-聽(Rated PG-13 for some sexual references and rude gestures.)
