Absolutely the worst movie.

Unshakable, witty and deeply felt, the film will be paying emotional dividends for a long, long time.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

One thing that has remained consistent in Merchant Ivory films is the elegance. They have a classy and stylish look which never feels overdone. 'The City of Your Final Destination' works in various way. It works as a mood piece, as a study of characters, a love story and a mystery. The film has a lyrical feel to it. The humour is subtle and welcoming as its timing is just right. The dialogues are poetic and the interactions between the characters are splendid. The character development is brilliant and the flourishment of the romance between Omar and Arden is delightful to watch.The Merchant Ivory team always had an eye for visuals. Each and every frame is exquisitely detailed. Javier Aguirresarobe's stunning cinematography captures the beauty of the Uruguayan landscape and interiors and wonderfully highlights each frame. The soundtrack is magic.The unique eclectic international ensemble is spellbinding. With actors like Anthony Hopkins, Norma Aleandro, Hiroyuki Sanada, Laura Linney, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Omar Metwally and Alexandra Maria Lara, could one ask for something better? Each and every one of them do a fantastic job.Merchant Ivory have created another classy gem. It's a shame that 'The City of Your Final Destination' received so little recognition. I wish films like this were made more often.

I never thought I would see a movie in which Laura Linney was the weak link. This movie had the potential to be a standard Ivory-Merchant adaptation of a mildly pretentious book of the touchy-feely genre. It looked different in the video store, but that's what it turned out to be. Well, lots of people love that kind of thing; just not me.However, I really do like good actors such as Anthony Hopkins and Laura Linney. Charlotte Gainsbourg is quite good, in her own inimitable and mysterious way. And Alexandra Maria Lara, whom I had never seen before, is outstanding in this flick.The huge disappointment, however, turns out to be Ms. Linney, who I have never seen misfire before. She plays an utterly charmless woman, which she must have seen as an interesting challenge, because she is said to be a very charming person. Unfortunately, she overdoes it, and produces a character repellent beyond belief. Meanwhile, Ms. Lara is showing her how it's done, playing another obnoxious woman, but with the occasional vulnerability that makes us not want to flee whenever she shows up.

The basic premise of "The City of Your Final Destination" is almost identical to "The Aspern Papers". Omar, a professor of literature at a provincial US college, plans to write the biography of an author who has committed suicide, but the deceased man's widow, mistress and brother refuse to authorize his project. Omar leaves his bossy girlfriend Deirdre in the US, and travels to Uruguay to persuade the eccentric trio to change their minds. On arrival, he finds them living in uneasy bohemian splendor at their ranch estate. Inexplicably Omar is invited to stay, and is soon attracted to the author's former mistress, even though this complication might endanger his literary quest.The film's chief weakness becomes sharply apparent at this point - Ivory and Jhabvala seem unsure whether they are making a drama or a comedy. Laura Linney's widow Caroline attempts to keep a foot in both camps, while Anthony Hopkins opts for comedy and hams it up as the gay brother. The romantic element sputters weakly as Charlotte Gainsbourg's ex-mistress tries to make something of the tepid intrigue provided by the script. The literary authorization fizzles away into a non-event as the film zigzags unconvincingly between the various genres - and by the time the confused Omar has fallen off a ladder and into a coma, requiring the arrival of humorless Deirdre to nurse him back to health, it's clear the film has irretrievably lost its way. Eventually, everything wrapped up in a moldy blanket of romantic comedy when a pair of damp lovers embrace their predictable fate in a torrential rainstorm.

Greetings again from the darkness. Most everyone is familiar with the peak of Merchant-Ivory genius which included: A Room With a View, Remains of the Day, and Howerd's End to name a few. Ismail Merchant died a few years ago, but director James Ivory returns with a powerful, yet odd film based on Peter Cameron's novel.The film boasts a very nice cast: Anthony Hopkins as the aging, gay man who is the brother of a famous (now dead) novelist; Laura Linney as the widow of the writer; and Charlotte Gainsbourg as the writer's former mistress. Oh yeah, these three all live together in a compound in Uruguay on land the writer left behind after his suicide.The story gets interesting when Omar (played by Omar Metwally) shows up unannounced after receiving a declination of his offer to write a biography on the novelist. Hopkins supports the idea as he expects it will generate book sales and revenue for the group. Linney is flat against it thinking it will spill too many secrets. Gainsbourg initially sides with Linney, but changes her vote when she falls for Omar.On the surface, the story is about Omar's attempt to win Linney's bitter character to change her mind. The much more interesting story is Omar's awakening in this oddball community now that he is out of the grasp of his domineering type A girlfriend and co-worker played superbly by Alexandra Maria Lara. Talk about a personality that makes you want to turn and walk away! She almost makes Linney's character seem humane.Mr. Ivory excels in subtlety and he is in fine form here. So many "little" moments make this story really click. Not to mention it is beautifully photographed. This is a really good film that will probably get lost in the mass confusion of summer giants like Twilight and Toy Story 3. If you get the chance, make the time to see this one.