This film is good, but frankly does not quite merit some of the rave reviews it has had here. The two lead actors ( to me ) did not give off that spark of passion that the film deserved. The Greek, handsome in looks sets off to find his mother and on the way he picks up a German, who likes stealing things like sandwiches and bags of crisps, and this adds a slight fear that he might be up to no good. I quite liked the suspense about this, but after tepidly ( we have hints of desire, but no more ) having sex with the Greek, the German appears to have taken off with the the Greek's car. Pale recalls of Hitchcock and Wim Wenders pervades this film, and I did like the picturesque scenery which was all to the good considering a lot of us cannot travel at the moment. The Greek wants to meet his mother ( a touch of Elektra/ Orestes meeting Clytemnestra here ) and I rather hoped for a slightly more interesting ending. No spoilers, although many here have given them. It is a good film and well made, but given the interesting title I am not sure it had enough passion in it. I repeat that word because the minimal contact between the two leads was not quite strong enough for me to believe in it. We should either have eroticism, or a clear build up that these two are really getting deeply involved, and that frankly is the responsibility of the director or the actors, or both. Yes, there is a semi-naked swim together, and a night of delicate touching and the object of that was clearly to convince there was a dance of desire. This reticence and the too rushed ending, and a dreadful Eurovision-type song sung over the end titles disappointed. I enjoyed the film for the journey, but I was hungry for more convincing fervour. I liked very much the Greek's mother, an actor who promised hidden fires that were neither explored or lit. Overall a film worth seeing, but a little too coy for my taste.
Review of The Man with the Answers
