Too much of everything

Simply Perfect

As Good As It Gets

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

In New York, the cast of Anton Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya" rehearse the play in a dilapidated theater on the 42nd Street.The arrogant and selfish Professor Serybryakov (George Gaynes) is an elderly intellectual married with his gorgeous and younger second wife Yelena (Julianne Moore) that feels trapped in a prison with her marriage. They live in a farm that supports their lifestyle with the Professor Serybryakov's brother-in-law from the first marriage Vanya (Wallace Shawn), who manages the family business with Professor's daughter from his first marriage, Sonya (Brooke Smith), a plain single young woman and Vanya's mother. The local Dr. Astrov (Larry Pine) visits the family every day since he is in love with Yelena. She talks with him about his feelings for Sonya, but Astrov misunderstands and believes she is also in love with him. One day, Sonya confides to Yelena that she has an unrequited love for Dr. Astrov. When Professor Serybryakov discloses his intention of selling the real estate, there is a crisis in the family."Vanya on 42nd Street" is a filmed rehearsal of Anton Chekhov's play "Uncle Vanya" by Louis Malle. The talkative story about frustrated lives, where every character wish to have a different existence, is surprisingly engaging since there are no costumes or scenarios, but excellent direction and performances. The beginning is a little boring, I agree, but give a chance to this movie and you will certainly have a great (favorable) surprise. My vote is seven,Title (Brazil): "Tio Vanya em Nova York" ("Uncle Vanya in New York")

Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) was a famed Russian writer.His plays have lived on.Uncle Vanya is one of them.I read the play pretty recently, and it gives an excellent portrayal of unhappy people, who live their wasted life dealing with their misery.Over the course of three years director Andre Gregory and a group of actors rehearsed the play in the then-abandoned Amsterdam Theater on 42th street in New York City.The actors were in their street clothes and the performances were for an invited audience only.Gregory and Louis Malle decided to document the play.The result is Vanya on 42th Street (1994).This was the last movie of Louis Malle.The film is based on the English translation by David Mamet.Of course this whole thing wouldn't work if the cast wasn't something unique.And in this case it is.Wallace Shawn is the perfect man to play Vanya.Just look at the scene where he finally loses it and blames the professor for ruining his life.That's some amazing acting.The Finnish-born actor George Gaynes does brilliant work as Serybryakov.The then-rising star Julianne Moore is excellent as his young wife Yelena.Larry Pine is fantastic as Dr. Astrov, who likes to drink.Brooke Smith is amazing as Sonya with her unrequited love for Dr. Astrov.Lynn Cohen is terrific as Maman.And so is Jerry Mayer as Waffles.Stage actress Phoebe Brand gives her only movie performance playing Nanny and she does a great job.Also great work by Indian actress Madhur Jaffrey (Mrs. Chao) and Andre Gregory, who plays himself.There's some great spirit between these performers, that carries throughout the play.If you yearn for something intelligent, then you should watch Vanya on 42th Street.

If you are familiar with the play, you will marvel at the subtlety of the transition - from Monday-morning chatter about the weekend's activities among the cast members who have gathered for a rehearsal - to the play itself: Suddenly the dialog among the actors becomes identical with the lines in the play, the actors have, unbeknownst to viewers who haven't seen or read the play a few times, taken on their roles and begun the rehearsal/performance, a device which makes the action seem all the more authentically real and human. An interesting comment made to me by a Russian author(ess) whom I know: At the end when Sonya tells Uncle Vanya that in the bye and bye everything will be alright ("God will take pity on us...and we will rest"), in this Franco-American production Sonya seems to believe her own optimistically comforting words, whereas in a Russian production she - and Vanya - would know that any hope is only an illusion.

After reading all the positive comments on this movie, I can only add one more. Out of the three versions of Uncle Vanya that showed up at my video store within a two year period, this is by far the best. The other two, Country Life (an Australian comedy, starring Sam Neill) and August (starring and directed by Anthony Hopkins) were fine films, but this is a great one.