Juliet, Naked, based on the novel by Nick Hornby - Eight out of 10

Juliet, Naked, based on the novel by Nick Hornby

Eight out of 10

Juliet, Naked is an interesting, rewarding proposition, if not the best film of the year, in the line for multiple Academy Awards.

Rose Byrne portrays Annie Platt and she seems to be the most sensible, decent, attractive of the three major characters that dominate the narrative of this feature.

Her partner is Duncan Thomson aka the amusing, charming, gifted Chris O’Dowd, a man who is obsessed with the music, the life and the gossip surrounding Tucker Crowe aka the established Ethan Hawke.

Tucker Crowe used to be a rock star – for some reason, he makes yours truly think of the Mick Jagger interview inserted at the start of the Walk Like Jagger hit, where he states at the debut of his career that he would probably go on for a short while, a year, maybe a few and we see he is singing past the age of seventy…

The former singer has retired, but there is a cult following, with people continuing to obsess about him and his music, his whereabouts, innuendo that has him as the father of a child with a member of the Swedish Royal family and in many other relationships and circumstances.

Annie starts a correspondence with the retired celebrity and as that intimacy develops into an interesting closeness, Tucker, who is about to visit his daughter, who is going to have a baby, suggests an encounter.

The idea of becoming a grandfather is at first preposterous, for the former star thinks he is not that old, but when “he does the math” he sees that it is possible and he would have a larger family.

However, instead of having a decent, romantic encounter with his transatlantic correspondent, the retired rock star ends up in a hospital, following a possible heart attack.

The scenes that take place in the intensive care room are amusing, for many people come to see the connected musician, who has been in numerous relationships – if not with anybody from the Swedish Royal Family.

It is difficult for many, if not most, of those present to keep track of whose mother is this and that child or relative.

While Annie and Tucker get closer to each other, Duncan has an affair and confesses to having slept with another woman, taking her to the coast, where they accidentally encounter the American and his British friend.

Another amusement is in store, for Duncan, who is such an expert on the rock musician, talking online with other fans, intimate with all the details of the star, encounters the godhead on the beach, with his former lover.

Only he does not recognize his Allah, Jesus, and Zeus!

Not only that, when Annie introduces the American, Duncan rejects the idea and he acts as if he was told he was meeting God and he needs to reply that indeed, he is also an angel or the Messiah…

Furthermore, the humor is continuous, for the supposed expert comes to see if there is a possibility that his hero, role model, godsend is not actually near him and so accessible…

He wants tucker Crowe to show him the passport proving he is the real musician and then he is invited for dinner.

Over their meal, the rock singer and his disciple argue over the quality of his music, for if the singer is modest and thinks his production was not so worthy, the fan is of the opposite opinion.

It changed his life and he loves it no matter what the musician thinks!

He declares s much and then departs from the table.

Juliet, Naked is a very good, refreshing comedy drama, not pretentious, complicated, but inspiring nevertheless.