As a biographical epic, De-Lovely's depiction of the life of one of America's greatest songwriters of all time (i.e. Cole Porter) may not be wholly accurate. However, this film is a marvel of ingenuity because of director Irwin Winkler's clever use of contemporary (and unlikely) artistes to interpret a handful of Cole Porter gems (i.e his songs). Their performances are interspersed evenly throughout the film, and blended seamlessly with the movie's narrative to provide a cohesive structure which does not detract from the film's theme. Moreover, song is often used as a backdrop to highlight or underline a certain event occuring onscreen rather than to tell the story itself, which was the case in Moulin Rouge and Chicago. Although the likes of Alanis Morissette & Sheryl Crow singing Porter favorites may not go well with die-hard aficionados, they did acquit themselves rather admirably, in my honest opinion.
One of the things I like about this film is its almost prudent portrayal of Porter's homosexuality and his relationship with his (devoted?) wife, Linda Lee. Kevin Kline and Ashley Judd, who play the former and latter respectively, prove that they are, indeed, A-list Hollyood material with their honest and heartfelt performances. The cinematography is excellent with its breathtaking visual style and stunning re-creations of Porter's lavish residences. Nevertheless, perhaps, as what some critics have said, the scripting lacked a certain depth which could have made the film more emotionally and intellectually compelling.
Ultimately, De-lovely may not appeal to everyone and it is probably not even of Oscar-winning material, but it is truly a worthwhile watch thanks to its charismatic leads, Kline and Judd. The real treat for me, I think, is to be able to listen and watch Cole Porter's wonderful songs being given a new lease of life by some of this century's most gifted artistes.
my ratings ---- 3.8/5 stars! (but 4.5/5 stars for the music!!!)
