Simon Magus
Time Out says
A seductive hybrid out of Christian lore, Yiddish folk tale and romantic fiction, writer/director Hopkins' first feature plays variations on the Brit historical costume drama. The action takes place late in the 19th century in an imagined Jewish stetl, in Austro-Hungarian Poland, suffering from economic and agricultural blight. Through this sombre Tim Burton-like world roams outcast Simon Magus (Taylor), a man reviled and feared for his presumed magical powers and for bringing a curse on the village; in fact he's an idiot savant desirous of salvation, but confused by the ministrations of the Devil (Holm). Tragically, his subsequent madcap religious vacillations make him seem a potential tool to anti-Semitic landowner Hasse (McGinley) in his struggle to acquire land promised to young Jew Dovid (Townsend), a favourite of the poetry-loving squire (Hauer). Compelling as a revivification of 'magical' storytelling, this admittedly modest movie impresses equally in its confidence of tone and sense of balance. It is never heavy and often very funny; the performances are uniformly well judged and the script sweetly dovetails its various strands.
Details
Release details
Duration:
106 mins
Cast and crew
Director:
Ben Hopkins
Screenwriter:
Ben Hopkins
Cast:
Noah Taylor
Embeth Davidtz
Stuart Townsend
Sean McGinley
Terence Rigby
Amanda Ryan
Ian Holm
Rutger Hauer
David de Keyser
Embeth Davidtz
Stuart Townsend
Sean McGinley
Terence Rigby
Amanda Ryan
Ian Holm
Rutger Hauer
David de Keyser