Prior to the 79th Annual Academy Awards, there was much debate over whether or not Peter O'Toole would win "Best Actor" for his performance in Venus. "For Chrissake," said the Oscar Fan, "the man is damned near seventy-five and he still ain't got an Oscar." Everyone knew that O'Toole's chances were nearly hopeless, especially considering the hours of rehearsal that Forest Whitaker logged for his portrayal of Idi Amin. But given the utter depravity and creepiness of Maurice, O'Toole's character, it's possible that he wouldn't have won anyway.

Some would consider Maurice a pedophile. Despite his impotence and proximity to death, he takes a grand interest in his friend's twentysomething niece, Jessie (Jodie Whittaker). He becomes a mentor of sorts to her yet still obsesses over touching and smelling her-----it's a bit strange, to say the least. However, it is O'Toole's sheer brilliance that makes Maurice a likable character-----he's educated, charismatic, earnest, and played so well that you couldn't imagine the real O'Toole any other way.

The production team makes many other smart choices with the film. They provide us with a relationship that is demanding-----you HAVE to take an interest in the electricity between the two main characters, and eventually whatever path they take seems forgivable. Whittaker was also a smart choice for Jodie-----she's not famous, and she's not distractingly sexy-----she's attractive in a way that is pleasing but ordinary-----one of those girls who seems to look better as you become closer to her.

The film's comedic-dramatic scheme works extremely well. Two scenes, one involving nail-clippers, another showing a fight at a coffee shop, are among the funniest of 2006. The overlying theme of allowing spirit to stand up against aging is surprisingly poignant, and we're given several worthwhile characters to root for in the fight. Despite its "Rated-R moments," Venus still resonates as warm and human.

Some minor mistakes bar the film from pure perfection. The bubblegum soundtrack is inappropriate, and one symbolic fast-forward montage goes on for way too long-----but these are subtleties in a movie that celebrates the human soul like few others in recent times.

Rating: A-

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD