Seneca

The basic motif for see it was the presence of John Malkovich , no doubts. The feeling seeing Seneca was about a most reasonable version of Caligula by Tinto Brass. Not for eccentricity or for kitsch, but for same fair reflection about power , apparences against deep reality, profound loneliness, fall of world and wisdome as imperfect tool, violence and death, about a Rome who escapes to a precise period for universal message, if it is not faithfull reflection of present .

The good point - the cast. And the admirable performance of John Malkovich. And the nice, sure, respecting a Hollywood recipe, portrait of Nero - the title the President reminds the novels of Garcia Marquez - .

A film who I like . For the irony who seems ignoring the limits, for one of last roles of Julian Sands, for Geraldine Chaplin as matrona refugied in artificial world, for young Louis Hofman and, not the last, I repeat, for Tom Xander as Nero.

Not deserves to be ignored Andrew Koji as Felix.

And for the try to remind essential values, so easy ignored by our time. Not last, for remind of more than significant name for European culture of Lucius Annaeus Seneca.

Senator Seneca (John Malkovich) is a close advisor and supporter of Emperor Nero (Tom Xander). He has been Nero's teacher since childhood. He talks non-stop and constantly advises Nero to be an ethical ruler. As Nero becomes tyrannical, he is forced to bend his views into excusing Nero's excesses. After an attempt on Nero's life, an innocent Seneca is still accused. Nero gives him the gift of taking his own life.

This is a historical dramatization of the Stoic Seneca. It's a smallish production with a nice cast led by Malkovich. It reminds me of a play in the park except it's in beautiful Morocco locations. I find myself drawing parallel lines between this movie and the present day. Some connections are more clearer than others. It's funny that he asks why bad things happen to good people. That's probably my high point. All his excuses ring very real for today. I'm less interested in his decline and his declaration of the Roman decline. He is centuries too early for Rome and anyone comparing this with America is probably almost as early.

"This is not for everyone"... if you've seen movies described in a similar vein and appreciated them, there's a solid chance you'll enjoy this one too. If not, well, you might just find out within the first few minutes, especially when Nero, in all his whimsical glory, whips off those purple sunglasses - it's just that movie that you either love, or hate.

Prepare for a handful of those "WTF" moments that, in my view, add a delightful quirkiness. The visuals are captivating, enriched by impeccable costumes, and there's this persistent feeling of strangeness, accentuated by the score (sometimes trendy, sometimes deeply atmospheric) and compelling yet unexpected sound/visual FX.

John Malkovich is unmistakably himself, radiating a jovial energy throughout the film. Expect a hefty dose of dialogue that oscillates between eloquent monologues and stark colloquialisms, often transitioning from archaic phrases to modern slang seamlessly (which is odd but fun), and, just to throw it in, a fair bit of that dialogue is inspired by Seneca's own words or at least resonates closely with his ethos (as far as I can tell, anyway - I'm no Seneca scholar).

Props to director Robert Schwentke for this unique spin on history. "Seneca" is quite a trip. Whether you're here for some cerebral stimulation or just seeking a detour from the norm, this film ticks some boxes (at least it did for me ;)

In short, if you're in the mood for something different with a hint of crazy, give "Seneca" a shot. But, you know, come in with zero expectations and just roll with it.

To be honest, I almost turned it off at the very beginning of the film because it seemed like a bad joke. I read some very bad reviews and some great praises, so I decided to be open-minded about it. Obviously, it's controversial, which might be what's so fun about it.

I appreciated hearing some of the insightful thoughts presented by Seneca (John Malkovich) about the human nature, life and death etc. In this way, the film is meditative.

I enjoyed the visuals to an extent. I noticed the grotesque visual elements, which were certainly not easy on the eyes, but they had a purpose and actually went well with Nero's horrible character, as well as the absurdity and malignancy presented in the movie. There also were some "quirky" and seemingly unnecessary components.

However, in general, the characters and spaces seemed to be visually portrayed in accordance with the personalities - when you observe them, it just makes sense. Furthermore, this piece also contains elements more pleasing to the eye. I liked the recording style, the perspectives, the way scenes were organized, the colors used. That being said, the movie still definitely has a bizarre quality to it and not everyone could enjoy it.

While the piece offers some profound thoughts, it also contains plenty of frivolous elements. There were things I liked and things I disliked, as well as some choices that just didn't seem to make sense.

All things considered, I don't regret watching it. It was certainly entertaining and even thought-provoking. It's an occasionally smart movie, but it's not supposed to be taken too seriously.

Seneca was a stoic philosopher and moralist known today for his letters, dialogs and plays, all of which are readily available and eminently readable. He survived the brutal reign of Caligula, was exiled under Claudius, and was a tutor and advisor to Nero. Like many close to this emperor (or Mr. President in the film), Seneca did not survive the experience, and committed suicide in 65 AD on orders of Nero.

Malkovich delivers a fine performance while quoting various Senecan type things. It's very close to a monologue. Being an art film, it has some very weird twists, most of which fall very flat indeed - from Nero's sunglasses to the bizarre paper-mache microphone and the bizarre staging of the play-within-a-play, Seneca's own Thyestes. That aside, it's an interesting meditation on death, and worth watching if you're a fan of the classics.

The modernization and attempted comparison to modern falls flat, and spoils what might have been a fascinating stoic 'letter' to the present.