Movie review: Words and Pictures

It's difficult to imagine Clive Owen, left, and Juliette Binoche as lovers.

Clive Owen and Juliette Binoche throw themselves into their characters in this film by veteran Australian director Fred Schepisi, livening up Gerald Di Pego's flattish script, and laying on the charm with their characters' peculiarities.

The thing is, they're not romantically great together -- you can imagine them becoming good friends, but lovers is a hard sell.

This matters because Words and Pictures is pitched as a romantic comedy, filled with amusing moments as the leads (in typical rom-com style) at first infuriate and then lust after each other.

With his unshaven face and bookish glasses, Clive Owen looks the part as successful author turned teacher, turned drunk, Jack Marcus.

Admired by his students, and their mothers, he believes in the power of words and physical books and does his best to inspire his students in the digital age.

Eventually, tardiness and weakness for vodka at lunchtime catch up with Jack, and he finds his job up for review.

This happens as a new art teacher with a reputation as an ice queen arrives at school.

A successful artist, Dina Delsanto (Binoche) is also struggling with her art.

Suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, Dina has left New York to teach and paint.

Dina has no time for Jack, or the irritating word games he presses upon people, so in order to tame his shrew, Jack begins a halfhearted battle as to what's more important, the word or picture.

The students are involved of course, but they're a melodramatic and cliched lot who fail to add much to this debate.

It's as if Schepisi was unsure of what to do with the younger generation in his film and their performances are overacted and disingenuous.

This film belongs to the adults; they're better suited to its dry style of humour.

Words and Pictures tends to the predictable, with stereotypical characters and a conservative direction, but Owen and Binoche are still a delight to watch. If you're looking for a pleasant way to pass a Sunday afternoon, it'll do perfectly.

Cast:

Clive Owen, Juliette Binoche and Bruce Davison

Director:

Fred Schepisi

Running time:

111 mins

Rating:

M (Offensive language)

Verdict:

A lovely way to pass a Sunday afternoon

- TimeOut