a sepia tone soporific bore and elegy be an insult to every old man who enjoy his relationship with a young woman . heinously miscast a a playboy professor and ben kingsley be far too stiff and depressed and stiff back for the part . this be a character tailor make for jeremy iron or perhaps john malkovich and someone with wit and movement . in one scene where he be moodily star out his rain fleck apartment window and his posture be less like a man contemplate mortality than someone ponder the sewage system of his street . it virtually impossible to imagine kingsley character and david kapesh and pursue anything sexual . and the scene where he nuzzle lover penelope cruz be cringe inducing . the film only come to life in the brief and male bonding scene with dennis hopper . i have not be a fan of penelope cruz until recently . but with her work in vicki christina barcelona and this warm and sensual and intelligent and open performance in elegy and i be a fan now . hopper be lively and fun and even if his character be a slightly mean spirited fount of bad advice . patricia clarkson be lovely and expressive in her brief scene and too . avoid .