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Elegy

Elegy

Drama · Romance · 2008

Cultural critic David Kepesh finds his life -- which he indicates is a state of "emancipated manhood" -- thrown into tragic disarray by Consuela Castillo, a well-mannered student who awakens a sense of sexual possessiveness in her teacher.

Movie details

Elegy

2008 Drama · Romance 1h 52m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.3 / 10

Community rating

Cultural critic David Kepesh finds his life -- which he indicates is a state of "emancipated manhood" -- thrown into tragic disarray by Consuela Castillo, a well-mannered student who awakens a sense of sexual possessiveness in her teacher.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Elegy?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Isabel Coixet

Written by

Nicholas Meyer

Penélope Cruz

Penélope Cruz

Consuela Castillo

Ben Kingsley

Ben Kingsley

David Kepesh

Patricia Clarkson

Patricia Clarkson

Carolyn

Peter Sarsgaard

Peter Sarsgaard

Kenneth Kepesh

Dennis Hopper

Dennis Hopper

George O'Hearn

Sonja Bennett

Sonja Bennett

Beth

Chelah Horsdal

Chelah Horsdal

Susan Reese

Court is in session

Put Elegy on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Sentimental Softie

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Cool Ironist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.