Copying Beethoven


2.5/4

Starring: Ed Harris, Diane Kruger, Matthew Goode, Joe Anderson

Rated PG-13 for Some Sexual Elements

“It has promise.  Let me develop it with you.”—Beethoven, “Copying Beethoven.”

Too bad no one helped develop this film.  It indeed has promise, although it doesn’t completely come together.  Due mostly to a lackluster script, what could have been the second coming of the classic Mozart biopic “Amadeus” ends up being a forgettable film with an amazing 15 minute concert scene.

The film details the fractious relationship between Ludwig von Beethoven (Harris) and his copyist, a conservatory student named Anna Holtz (Kruger).  Their relationship is tumultuous; sometimes they work well together, other times they can’t stand each other.  But their work leads to one of Beethoven’s many masterpieces: his ninth symphony.

The problem with the film lies not with the acting.  Ed Harris is wonderful as the fiery Beethoven.  He gets everything right: the ego, the deafness, the runaway creativity that all artists get from time to time.  Harris may lack the screen presence to really pull this off, but he does an amazing job.  As Anna, Diane Kruger shows once again why she’s near the top of today’s up and coming actresses.  There are times when Beethoven is rude or downright cruel to her, and yet she still remembers that there is a softer, more human side to him.  The actress manages to hit all the right notes despite being saddled with a character that’s paper thin.

The film is directed by Polish filmmaker Agnieszka Holland, and it’s about as well made as can be with this flat script.  She adequately portrays the ups and downs of the relationship between Beethoven and Anna, but there’s little that she, Harris or Kruger can do with a script that’s just not very good.

The film does take off during the 15 minute rendition of the Ninth Symphony premiere.  It’s superbly directed and filled with all the fiery emotion and soft humanity that makes up the composer’s work (and for a sampling of the whole symphony, the segment is arranged well enough that the transitions between the movements are seamless).  The sequence occurs in the middle of the film, but since this is a fictional piece and not constrained by reality, it would have worked better as a conclusion to the film, with all the other material leading up to it.  I would be tempted to give the film a tentative recommendation because of this sequence, but ultimately I can’t.

Close, but no cigar.

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