Death of a Ladies' Man

A recipe for a crackerjack film we have here. A charming Lothario who likes his women and drink in equal, superfluous doses, battles karma after a lifetime of misadventure. Gabriel Byrne stars, as he always does. Leonard Cohen tunes play, and that is swell. End of story. Well, not quite.

After getting a dose of his own philandering medicine, professor Samuel O'Shea bellies up to the bar and is soon joined by a parade of hallucinations. Talking ones. Several surreal monstrosities, and then, his long deceased dad, whom he spends most of the film chatting with. It is a clever ploy, the old man getting advice form his very late old man, who is actually a younger version than his son. Ghosts have it pretty good it seems. Without spoiling all of life's important questions, the apparition exists as more of a sounding board for a man in search of himself.

Life, death, mortality, love, relationships, family, reality, a hockey ballet, Frankenstein's monster, it's all here. Shame that it never gets up to full speed after such a wonderful start. Even the escapades that follow, which include a trek from Montreal to lovely Ireland, a spark of fresh romance, and jealousy gunplay, seem rather bland. For so much happening on paper, it is a shame that the screen version doesn't wield more kapow! adventure, either comically, dramatically, or preferably, both. Instead of a classic dramedy, we get a bit of a, um, coma.

Not bad, but oh, what could have been.

• hipCRANK

And excellent demonstration of how a piece of art can move you by showing to you a montage of a life getting to an end. In this piece that is shown in a comedic and dramatic way. And in a form of a novel - in chapters, clear passage of time and a nice cadence pace without hurry at all. Leonard Cohen lovers gonna love it. Please watch this!

Sorry, let's agree that is also a no pun intended summary line I used. We can fool ourselves, right? As humans we are able to do so - maybe to see things that are not there. And maybe you can now see what I am doing - especially if you have seen the movie. If not come back and read this again. I did not plan it, but it makes sense in the overall story arc of the character Gabriel Byrne is playing.

We try to live life a certain way. We have a moral compass - either it is fine tuned or it is not so much. Byrne takes this and elevates it - his character is not really the most likeable - but those roles are the ones that are the ones that make you want to act I assume. A challenge of sorts - a challenge that he not only accepts but is capable of mastering.

Of course he has help from other actors, the director and cinematography/editing. This is really well told - and even if you do not feel much for him, he is intriguin enough to make it worth your while ...

An excellent film which allows us to watch as a complicated man explores the meaning of life with all its nuances. Thanks to the actors and all who made this film.

Hawkesbury, Ontario in the credits is actually Hawkesbury, Ontario! Spell check folks ... LOL!