This would be a worthy candidate. Brian Cox is an actor who can summon thunder and raise the oceans, but his performance here is a perfectly modulated blend of humor and pathos. There are so many ways the performances, writing and direction could have misfired and veered into melodrama, but the worn, easy approaches to the themes and characters were avoided. The music, too, was evocative yet tasteful and fit like a glove. Some reviewers have questioned the title; they must have missed the museum scene. Just another reason for them to enjoy a second viewing.
Review of The Etruscan Smile
