Innocence

After more than forty years apart, Andreas and Claire embark on an affair as reckless and intense as when they were young lovers. Widowed musician Andreas decides to get back in touch with his one great love, Claire, who is still married to her first husband, John. Andreas and Claire find that the connection they shared when they were young is still there and they soon become involved in a rekindled love affair. However, this time around, there are more complications, including the possibilities of ill health and death, as well as the impact their relationship might have on John. Written by Sujit R. Varma

INNOCENCE is a rarely told tale of seniors in love that is written and directed with a graceful delicateness by Paul Cox. Starring three veteran Australian actors, Julia Blake (MY BRILLIANT CAREER), Charles 'Bud' Tingwell (THE DISH) and Terry Norris, the film is superbly and touchingly acted. Although they may be in their waning years, the movie's seventyish characters demonstrate a palpable zest for the essence of life and love. The sometimes surprising story is wonderfully moving without being overly sentimental and completely honest while avoiding cheap theatrics. The film opens about fifty years in the past as innocent and carefree young lovers Claire and Andreas are bicycling down an Australian country road. Utterly in love, they stop to kiss and caress. Kristien Van Pellicom, who looks like a young Rachel Griffiths, plays this younger Claire and Kenny Aernouts plays the younger Andreas. Shot with an oversatured look, these flashback images are a cross between someone's memories and an old home movie. In a film that has so much is right about it that it's hard to list everything, it should be pointed out that the casting of these two is quite perfect. They look remarkably like younger versions of the actors who play their characters fifty years later.We quickly cut to the present when most of the story is set. Although they haven't seen each other in almost half a century, Claire (Blake) accepts Andreas's (Tingwell) offer to come and visit him. Andreas's wife died thirty years ago, but Claire has been married to John (Norris) for 45 years now. (Actually, 44 years, 3 months and a few odd days as Claire will remind John later in one of her few fits of anger.) Besides spouses, Claire and Andreas have children and grandchildren. Nevertheless, their love for each other has remained constant even if dormant all of these years.Once they see each other again, their lives are forever changed. Like sleeper spies, they are roused to action and begin an affair. You may well wonder what an affair among seniors is like. Certainly, the cinema gives us little guidance as to what we should expect. Affairs in movies rarely occur with anyone older than middle age.In a film that takes several unpredictable turns, one of the most unusual ones occurs when the ever honest Claire confesses to her husband what is going on. His initial reaction isn't what you'd expect. Since the story focuses on the love that Claire and Andreas have for each other, it would be easy to have John be either unimportant or some kind of cliché. Instead, Terry Norris infuses his character with a mixture of hopelessness, confusion and resoluteness. In his best scene, John tries without success to explain his feelings to Claire. "I'm old," he tells her with overwhelming sadness. "I'm tired. I suddenly realized that my whole life…" His thought process trails off then, and he is so lost that he is unable to finish his sentence."You know what matters in life?" Andreas asks his daughter. "Love. Everything else is rubbish." This is a perfect sentiment for our times.INNOCENCE runs 1:34. It is not rated but would be R for sexual situations and nudity and would be acceptable for teenagers.The film opens in very limited release in the United States on October 26, 2001. In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the Camera Cinemas.Web: http://www.InternetReviews.com Email: Steve.Rhodes@InternetReviews.com