20
April 18 - 24, 2013
Visually enticing vampire tale needs sharper bite Schmaltz dilutes a potentially bloody good time FILM BYZANTIUM
Directed by Neil Jordan Runtime: 118 minutes 4/25, 9:30pm, at BMCC Tribeca PAC 4/26, 4pm, at AMC Loews Village 7 4/27, 8:30pm, at SVA Theatre
BY STEPHANIE BUHMANN The British-Irish fantasy thriller “Byzantium” tells the story of Eleanor (Saoirse Ronan) — who, with her mother Clara (Gemma Arterton), forms a tightknit vampire duo. They are both two centuries old, yet look not a day older than 16 and 35 (Clara had Eleanor young while working as a prostitute). Both survive on human blood, but each has their own almost endearing code of ethics for how to acquire food. Whereas Eleanor feeds only on the elderly, who express that they are ready to die anyway, Clara mainly kills the mean male abusers of this
Photo by Christopher Raphael, courtesy of IFC Films
Clara, holed up in a seaside hotel, has certain standards when it comes to acquiring food.
world (one scene shows her feasting on a street pimp). However, as we have learned in many a vampire movie before, eternal life is no pony farm. In fact, it is a tormenting existence for the sensitive — and so we meet kind Eleanor, as she is getting eager to
share the truth of her identity and her complete story with someone special. The latter appears in the form of Frank, in a little run-down coastal resort where the women have taken temporary refuge. Frank is a sensitive red-haired boy who, while developing a quick crush on Eleanor, is also
battling terminal cancer. The secret he discovers through her is one the audience learns about in bits and pieces throughout the film — involving kidnapping, forced prostitution, an orphanage and prosecution (as well as a mysterious shrine on a deserted island which holds the secret of eternal life). Directed by Neil Jordan (of “Interview with the Vampire” and “The Crying Game” fame), “Byzantium” makes for a visually enticing adventure. However, the film falls short, unable to overcome the many injections of schmaltz in its storyline. The biggest problem is its indecisive tone. Moments of serious emotions become overshadowed, and at times are even made ridiculous, by aesthetic kitsch (Frank has an accident and a hand wound turns into a gushing fountain of what looks like strawberry syrup). Some of it is straight up camp (Clara, a passionate seductress, could easily have table-danced in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” or “From Dusk Till Dawn”). Singularly, none of these directions would make for a weak movie — but scrambled together, one finds “Byzantium” to be neither here nor there. Soon enough we face Eleanor, a fair and often melodramatically wideeyed loner, with exasperation rather than compassion. At the crux of the film, it is hard to still care who will or will not live for eternity.
VeNUes & ticketiNG iNFo BMCC Tribeca PAC (BMCC) 199 Chambers St., btw. Greenwich & West Sts.
92YTribeca 200 Hudson St., south of Canal St.
Tribeca Cinemas (TV) 54 Varick St., at Laight St.
The Bombay Sapphire House of Imagination 121 Varick St., entrance on Dominick St.
Apple Store, SoHo 103 Prince St., btw. Greene & Mercer Sts. Chanel Art Awards Gallery at NYAA 111 Franklin St., btw. W. Broadway & Church St. Clearview Cinemas Chelsea (CCC) 260 W. 23rd St., btw. 7th & 8th Aves. AMC Loews Village 7 (AV7) 66 Third Ave., at 11th St. SVA Theatre (SVA) 333 W. 23rd St., btw. 8th & 9th Aves.
Tribeca Film Center (TFC) 375 Greenwich St., 2nd floor, btw. N. Moore & Franklin Sts.
SINGLE TICKETS Evening/Weekend screenings are $16 (after 6pm, Mon.-Fri. & Sat./Sun., prior to 11pm). Matinee/Late Night screenings (prior to 6pm, Mon.-Fri. or after 11pm daily) are $8. Tribeca Talks are $25.
Tribeca Drive-In Brookfield Place/World Financial Center Plaza; West St., btw. Vesesy & Liberty Sts.
RUSH TICKETS Screenings and events that have no more advance tickets available will be listed as Rush Tickets.
Barnes & Noble Union Square 33 E. 17th St., btw. Broadway & Park Ave.
Lines will form approximately 45 minutes prior to scheduled event times at the venue. Admission will begin approximately 15 minutes prior to the scheduled event times, based on availability (limit, one Rush Ticket per person). Tickets are priced as single tickets (as noted above), except at the BMCC Tribeca PAC Theater, where Rush Tickets for screenings will be $8 and Rush Tickets for Tribeca Talks will be $15. Admission is not guaranteed. SAME DAY TICKETS Tickets are available at venue box offices during the festival, about one hour before the venue’s first screening/event of the day. DISCOUNTS Discounts are available at Ticket Outlets for students (with valid ID), seniors (age 62+) and select Downtown Manhattan residents (with proof of residency). Service charges and fulfillment fees may apply.
For tickets, scHeDULe & VeNUe iNFo, Visit triBecAFiLM.coM/FiLMGUiDe or cALL 646-502-5296