A Late Quartet - 10 stars out of 10

A Late Quartet - 10 stars out of 10

"A Late Quartet" is a fabulous drama that is likely more appreciated by classical musicians but can be enjoyed by all.  The story centers around Beethoven's Opus 131 String Quartet, famous for its emotional grit and demanding technical challenges as the 7-movements of the 40-minute piece are meant to be played attacca (without pause between the movements).  The excruciating demands of the piece are manifested through the frustrations of the quartet as they each navigate a soap opera-esque storyline.  The acting in this film is top notch.  Imogen Poots delivers one of the most impassioned speeches that I’ve heard in a long time.  The dialogue is perfectly written but it is the devastation in her voice and in her eyes that makes her monologue one of the most chilling moments in any movie.  She is definitely on a path to win an Oscar or two.  Additionally, this may be Christopher Walken’s greatest performance (but hopefully not his swan song).  The goofball persona that we see on Saturday Night Live pales in comparison to the sophisticated acting capability that Walken taps into through this role.  Philip Seymour Hoffman is wonderful as always while Catherine Keener provides the driving intensity that transfers the character emotions through the screen and into the audience members.  From start to finish, "A Late Quartet" is filled with empathetic conflict, emotion, and drama - it is simply a great movie to which we can all relate in some way.