So in The Mother, Anne Reid plays a woman in her late fifties, visiting her daughter in London who falls in love with her boyfriend and has Teh Sex with him. He is a bit hairy and not at all as attractive as Daniel Craig these days. But it was hailed as an uncomfortable, but timely film about age discrimination and the potential attractiveness of an older generation, there being twenty five years (supposedly) separating Reid and Craig’s characters. The lead actress, the oldie in the piece, was nominated for an Oscar. Director Roger Michell and writer Hanif Kureishi managed to walk a difficult path on this film, but the eventual film – whilst a touch painful to watch – was quite impressive.
So in Venus, Peter O’Toole plays a man in his late seventies, living in London who falls in love with his mates great niece and wants to have Teh Sex with her. She is a bit rough and not at all as attractive as Jodie Whittaker is in real life. But it has been hailed as an uncomfortable, but timely film about age discrimination and the potential attractiveness of an older generation, there being fifty years (supposedly) separating O’Toole’s and Whittaker’s characters. The lead actor, the oldie in the piece, was nominated for an Oscar. Director Roger Michell and writer Hanif Kureishi managed to walk a difficult path on this film, but the eventual film – whilst a touch painful to watch – was quite impressive.
Do you see what I did there?
One of these films is described as provocative. One is described as sweet. Ah, the stench of sexism, will it never rub off?