Life Itself **** (2018, Oscar Isaac, Olivia Wilde, Annette Bening, Antonio Banderas, Olivia Cooke) – Movie Review

Oscar Isaac and Olivia Wilde star as young New York City couple Will and Abby, who meet at college, get married and have a child in a seemingly idyllic love story – until fate in the form of a tragic event gets in the way. Meanwhile in Carmona, Spain, Mr Saccione (Antonio Banderas) is the handsome, rich, ageing, lonely owner of an olive plantation, who starts interfering in the lives of his employee Javier (Sergio Peris-Mencheta), his wife Isabel (Laia Costa) and young son Rodrigo. A love triangle ensues, with fateful results.

Fogelman manages the twists of fate and multi-generational saga with great style, in a haunting, humorous and poignant movie. It is a contrived movie concoction, but it is lovely writing. The ensemble cast give special performances, with particularly outstanding work from Isaac, Wilde, Banderas, Peris-Mencheta, Costa, Àlex Monner as the grown-up Rodrigo, Annette Bening as Will’s shrink, and Jean Smart and Mandy Patinkin as Abby’s parents. Banderas is so good it hurts. Oscar Isaac says ‘It’s some of the better work that I’ve done’ – and he is right.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Movie Review

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