WORDS AND PICTURES (2014)

Genre: Drama/Romance
Director: Fred Schepisi
Cast: Clive Owen, Juliette Binoche, Bruce Davison, Navid Negahban, Amy Brenneman, Valerie Tian, Adam DiMarco, Josh Ssettuba, Janet Kidder, Christian Scheider
Runtime: 1 hr 51 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Nudity)
Released By: Cathay-Keris Films
Official Website: http://wordsandpicturesthemovie.com

Opening Day: 12 June 2014

Synopsis: A witty romantic drama, WORDS AND PICTURES stars the engaging duo of Juliette Binoche and Clive Owen working together on-screen for the first time. Prep school English teacher Jack Marcus (Owen) laments his students' obsession with social media and good grades rather than engaging with the power of the written word. A one-time literary star, Jack has not published in years filling his spare time with drink versus the art of language. He meets his match in Dina Delsanto (Binoche) — an abstract painter and new teacher on campus, who was once celebrated for her art. From the start, the two flirt and provoke each other with equal relish.

Movie Review:

Rom-coms tend to be flashy, glittering and a pair of good-looking young stars fronting the movie is always the case. But for a rom-com liked Words and Pictures, it’s basically a grown up romance for the grown-ups without the gimmick.   

The gorgeous looking French actress Juliette Binoche (The English Patient, Chocolat) pairs up with English actor Clive Owen (Children of Men) to demonstrate the combined power of their acting abilities to the audience in this somewhat intelligent and arty romantic flick directed by Fred Schepisi of Roxanne. 

Binoche plays a celebrated artist, Dina Delsanto who suffered from rheumatoid arthritis. Moving to a small town to take on a job as an art teacher at a college prep school, she met the obnoxious Jack Marcus (Owen), the school’s English teacher who was once a published writer. Over an argument over the importance of words or pictures, the two unlikely duos find solace and love in the company of each other. The only question is will Marcus’ drinking problem be a hindrance to their fragile relationship?

No doubt clichés are unavoidable in this genre, Words and Pictures rises from the ashes with it’s often delightful witty dialogues and battle-of-the-sexes comedy. Jack Marcus might be alcoholic and tries hard to mend his relationship with his estranged son but he is always fiery when it comes to the literacy world. Delsanto might looked and sound liked an icy queen but when a fellow student got harassed when a romance gone wrong, she is not afraid to step out and protect her student.         

The characters might be slightly exaggerated but not exactly unbelievable. As to why Marcus ended up with such a serious alcoholic problem, the issue is never properly addressed. Scenes of him trying to struggle with his addiction kind of stick out like a sore thumb but that’s a tiny gripe. Of course, it helps that the dazzling chemistry between the two leads manages to avoid a major pratfall so that we can have a decent 111 minutes of enjoyable screentime.

Words and Pictures will appeal to those who love a decent romantic drama with soul. Juliette Binoche and Clive Owen are fantastic together and those art pieces that are showcased in the movie are actually painted by Binoche herself. Impressive. 

Movie Rating:

(A grown-up romance flick for those who appreciate love, books and pictures)

Review by Linus Tee