Venus (2006)

Probably best remembered for NOTTING HILL, Roger Michell directs this offbeat platonic “romance” with disagreeable undertones. An aging, dying actor (Peter O’Toole in his most recent Oscar nominated performance) becomes obsessed with a young girl (Jodie Whitaker). There’s something quite troublesome about the lecherous O’Toole sniffing (literally) about the young girl who doesn’t welcome his advances that is off-putting to the story. Perhaps if we understood what O’Toole sees in her, it would assist the storyline but the girl is quite ordinary (though the actress isn’t) so he simply comes across as a pathetic dirty old man which is something the film makers didn’t intend. All that aside, O’Toole is superb. As his best friend, Leslie Phillips brings some weight to part and as his O’Toole’s wife, Vanessa Redgrave in just three scenes positively glows!