La Migliore Offerta (original title) by Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore, is an interesting film to say the least and I definitely wouldn’t want to spoil it for anyone. Set against the streets, cafes, and auction houses of charming-as-always Europe, Geoffrey Rush is an eccentric art auctioneer Virgil Oldman. By eccentric, it means I’m saying he’s rich and not poor. If he were, then he would be a loon :P
Virgil has a nifty sideline going on where he assesses and undervalues works of arts that he covets, and have his conspirator bid for it. He also filches bits and pieces of stuff from his clients. So he is arrogant, prickly, and terribly dishonest. Yet he’s charming and somehow likeable. Maybe it’s those delicious lines he delivers.
One day, Virgil is contacted by a wealthy heiress named Claire who seeks to auction off and dispose of her recently deceased parent’s stuff. Claire suffers from some phobia where she not only doesn’t want to go in the open, but doesn’t want to be with people at all. Thus, they conducted business through a wall. At first, the two didn’t get well along but eventually they got along and into a more than just professional relationship (hint: involves activities with less and less clothes on).
The cynic, like myself, would think that a young woman being interested in an old man like Virgil would be all about the money. And yet, Virgil, maybe because of his inexperience with women, actually believes her. Personally, it was already stretching it when Claire started showing that hint of an interest in Virgil. But hey, maybe it’s her eccentricity, yeah?
It is a good film to watch. Better than good if you are less cynical.
Rating: 4/5.