Year: 2013
Who to watch out for: Geoffrey Rush and Donald Sutherland
Music by Ennio Morricone
The Best Offer (La migliore offerta) is a film about love, deception and mystery. The story revolves around an elderly auctioneer, Virgil Oldman who is hired by a reclusive young heiress, Claire Ibbetson to handle the auctioning of her inherited antiques and collection of paintings. Oldman however does not seem to live up to his prestige and poise when we discover that he has been ongoingly acquiring through an elaborate scam, a secret private collection of master paintings with the help of his friend Billy Whistler (Donald Sutherland).
Giuseppe Tornatore, the writer and director of the film engages the viewer with intrigues and mysteries throughout the film. In the beginning you are left wondering who is this Ms. Ibbetson who appeared elusively out of nowhere and managed to pull in Oldman who is notoriously difficult to track down. Then the plot thickens when we discover that she is an agoraphobic hermit who does not leave her house and wishes not to be seen. As time goes on we get to spy on Oldman and Ibbetson's warming relations and discover where it leads to. The best offer is a multi-layered journey into the unknown and this story of love and deceit is in my opinion one of the best written mystery stories in contemporary time.
Delightful Interruption Star Rating:
✩✩✩✩✩
