I did make it to see The Last Station at the Rome Film Fest last night. Too bad I couldn't make it on Sunday - I could have seen Dame Helen on the red carpet and been in on the film opening type festivities. I saw it in a large venue that seats 950 people - there were probably about 700 people there by the time the film started (about 150 of them in the reporter section). It was open seating and my friend and I were the 3rd and 4th people in the room so we headed directly for the the 6 seats marked "Reserved" and sat in the seats next to them. (We figured these had to be the best possible - they were in the center, just far enough back to get the whole screen). BTW - I don't know which VIPs they were reserved for, but they never showed lol.

So you want to hear about the movie??? OK... I'll come out with it. It was very good. Not 'Atonement' good, but a very solid piece with some excellent performances. Dame Helen is great, CP was much better than I expected (I'm not a big fan of his). Paul G. and Anne Marie were also very good, as expected (I'm a big fan of both) and James was just perfect. I'll be honest - I don't think it will be his Oscar nominated role. Not because he wasn't good enough, but because it's not the type of role that would get one. If he does get a nom this year, it will be because of his past work in LKoS and Atonement. But he was great and perfect in all ways - from the comic aspects to the more dramatic parts.

JM's role is the center of the film, but it is very much an ensemble piece. (BAFTA would do well to award a 'best ensemble cast' award for this as they did for Gosford Park).

I don't know what more to tell you here - we all know the storyline. I found it much more about relationships than most reviews have mentioned and the basic fact that no one knows what happens between 2 people that have been married for nearly 50 year. No matter how closely we watch them and think we know what is going on, we cannot understand what is really going on.

I was actually a bit disappointed by the film - the direction and editing was a bit to pedestrian for my tastes and it didn't help that the jump between reels was very clumsy at the showing (at least I hope that was the problem and it wasn't just poorly cut film ) but the more I think about it, the more I like it. Especially when I started telling others about it. I really do need to see it again. (I'm afraid I've got to that point watching JM films that he used to warn about - where it's hard to see past the actor and just see the character). The audience liked it - there was strong applause at the end, but no cheering or standing-Os.

I'm don't think this is a very complete report, but I'm not sure what else to add - but let me know if there is something else I can tell you about. I can even answer some stuff in the spoiler thread if you like.