Love is All You Need - A Movie with a Message
Category: MoviesPierce Brosnan stars in this intricate drama speckled with humor and a lot of charm. Love is All You Need is the story of two people at different stages in their lives who come together and discover each other.
Trine Dyrholm delightfully plays Ida, a Danish hairdresser whose daughter Astrid is getting married in Italy. Ida has just finished her course of chemotherapy and is recovering from breast cancer. Now that the treatment is over her life can get back on track, and with the upcoming nuptials of her daughter, there is much to look forward to. That is until she walks in on her husband having sex with his accountant.
Philip (Brosnan) is a British, well off, middle-aged, widower living in Denmark and running a successful company. His son Patrick is getting married in Italy and even though they have been estranged for a time, Philip is looking forward to the nuptials. The part that causes him concern is that Patrick and his fiancée Astrid decided to open up the family’s Italian villa for the event. Philip has strong memories of his wife at that place, and he still has not gotten over her loss. He is a lonely, bitter man who has rage. Why did his lovely wife have to die all those years ago? Why?
Philip accidentally (literally) meets Ida at the airport on the way to Italy. That is where their friendship, albeit awkward in the beginning, takes root. Then when Ida’s husband shows up in Italy with his young accountant on his arm, Philip’s defensive mode kicks in and he keeps tabs on Ida. They end up spending time together and little by little they each open up about their lives and feelings. And, as we all know, that is the basis of a good relationship.
The movie starts out on a low note but then, gradually, ascends to a hopeful, enjoyable, story filled with several laugh-out-loud moments and a lot of charm. After thinking about this film, I can definitely say it is charming. It is not a typical romance movie. It has plenty of darkness and some twists. But it is a film that conveys the theme that it is never too late for a second chance in life.
Shot in Denmark and Italy, the movie is in Danish and English. The Danish conversations are subtitled, so you don’t have to worry that you won’t know what is going on. But even if you don’t read the words, the facial expressions tell the tale.
The characters in the movie run the gamut. There is the sleazy, inconsiderate, jerk of a husband, the son who is finding himself and learning that he doesn’t have to live his life to please his father, the daughter who is confused about her own life, and the sister-in-law who is over-the-top when it comes to her style, manners, and uncouthness. Then there is Ida, a caring woman who has been through an emotional year and doesn’t feel she is worthy of undying love, and Philip, a sad man who has to get rid of the chip on his shoulder.
Love is All You Need is a simple little film that takes viewers on a journey through the ups and downs of life, but ultimately leaves them with a smile on their face as they walk out of the theater.
The movie is rated “R” for brief sexuality, nudity and some language. It’s an adult movie for adults only. Love is All You Need opens Friday, May 3, 2013. If you want an enchanting little story, this is it. And, what woman could resist a film with Pierce Brosnan? Not me!
About the Author
Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet: The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.
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