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Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

It's not much of a stretch to think that Peter O'Toole didn't have much difficulty playing an aging actor. Despite playing a character quite close to his real self he does imbue a lot of emotion into the role. I found his relationship with Jodie Whittaker (Jesse) to be interesting mixed with sadness. You almost get a sense that he's ashamed about having feelings for her but pursues her despite himself. Her initial feelings border on pity but he soon charms her into something more meaningful.Overall it's a quiet movie that is boosted by strong performances throughout. It is an age that isn't shown often in movies and quite frankly probably makes many uncomfortable. But as I get older I can see that it's a reality that doesn't have to carry so much stigma and sadness. It's worth a viewing and might make you view old age in a different light.

"Venus" starts out slowly and even comes across as depressing. But this is to be expected, because Venus is about old men, Maurice (Peter O'Toole) and Ian (Leslie Phillips) who already see the writing on the wall: they are going to die. Most of the jokes that Maurice and Ian tell each other in the beginning are centered on that theme. In one scene, Maurice remarks that he has cornered the market for roles involving dead people. There is also a sense of gloom when one sees Maurice with his wife Valerie (Vanessa Redgrave).But then the story, which starts off as depressing, slow and morbid, evolves into something else. Ian has agreed to accept his grand-niece, Jessie (Jodie Whittaker), into his home. He naively believes this girl will cook for him, clean the house and come to his aid whenever he rings the bell. Moreover, he notes that since Jessie is fond of music, she would no doubt like Bach's St. Matthew's Passion. It never seems to have occurred to Ian that Jessie was into more contemporary music. Jessie turns out to be a nightmare and Ian, in a fit of desperation, begs Maurice to take care of her instead. Maurice, who has a weakness for younger women, agrees; and what follows is probably one of the most unlikely and interesting relationships ever put on screen.Venus is not a naive love story. It is far more honest and far more complicated than that. A has-been actor, Maurice knows he will die soon and simply derives as much pleasure from the relationship with Jessie as he can, even if it amounts to the act of holding her hand or making her smile.There is a certain mystery surrounding Jessie's feelings for Maurice. We do not know whether Jessie loves him or, if so, to what degree. Jessie used him most of the time to pay for drinks at the bar, a pair of earrings and then a snake tattoo. She even strikes him when he is unable to pay for her dress. But she is not a horrible person. Instead, she is troubled and suffers from low self-esteem, as reflected in her tendency to sleep with men who treat her poorly. She has great difficulty articulating her own feelings, because throughout her life no one really loved her. At the same time, she is capable of showing genuine warmth, as revealed in a scene where she is clearly concerned when Maurice collapses during a performance.Finally, Maurice and Jessie clash even when they do not mean to. In the beginning and middle of the film, Jessie does not know how to respond to the kindness and patience shown by Maurice. Maurice cannot stand her philandering ways, even though he does not put up much of a complaint until the end. They have trouble understanding their different worlds, but eventually they do. In the end, Maurice and Jessie are changed in a negative and positive way by the time they have spent with each other.As you may already guess, I thought the film was brilliant. I was bored with some of the scenes in the beginning, but the film really evolved into something meaningful to me. Peter O'Toole gives a great performance as Maurice and it is a shame he did not win an Oscar for the role -- he had already been denied nine times before. But I would also like to draw attention to Jodie Whittaker. She took on a very difficult role in Venus -- that of Jessie -- but was able to master it like few actresses can.

O'Toole is the outstanding actor in Venus, which is why he is the central character of course, but the film is worth examining for other reasons. For instance, it cost £3m, which is a tiny amount compared with films that get vast amounts of publicity. Venus is literate, moving, funny, engaging and, in its quiet way, something of a masterpiece. Which is more than can be said for another film beginning with V, Valkyrie, which to me was overblown, deeply flawed, and risible. A little test for anyone watching Venus; O'Toole recites a Shakespeare sonnet, number 18, and if you don't feel a swelling in your heart and catch in your breath then I guess this film is not for you.

I had heard of this film mainly from two things, the lead actor being nominated an Oscar, and it being made by FilmFour, it turned out to be quite a satisfying film, from director Roger Michell (Notting Hill, The Mother). Basically Maurice Russell (Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated Peter O'Toole) and his friend Ian (BAFTA nominated Leslie Phillips, known for his catchphrase "Ding Dong") are two successful but ageing actors, and the best part they could get nowadays is a corpse or some arty-farty costume drama. Ian, fearful of death being around the corner, agrees to let his niece's daughter, Jessie (Jodie Whittaker) move into their flat to look after him, but it turns out Ian, a hard-drinking, rude, and dismissive twerp, can't stand 20-something Jessie. Maurice however is liking Jessie's company very much, he in fact sort of guides her with his kindness, although it is obvious that he likes Jessie - 50 years younger than him - much more than just a friend, which explains why he calls her 'Venus'. When Maurice dies in the end, with Jessie of course, she finds the courage to face her fears, and after refusing before, agrees to go nude to be painted, just like Venus. Also starring Harry Potter's Richard Griffiths as Donald, Vanessa Redgrave as Valerie, Philip Fox as Doctor, Cathryn Bradshaw as Jillian and Bronson Webb as Jessie's boyfriend. O'Toole lost the Oscar to deserved winner Forest Whitaker for The Last King of Scotland, but you can still see this is a very creditable performance, with an also endearing performance from Phillips, and featuring music and songs from Corinne Bailey Rae, including "Like A Star" and "Put Your Records On", this is quite a watchable romantic comedy drama. Good!