Vitus

Vitus, a Swiss film about a young genius and his struggles to accept his unique situation, was a nice surprise. Instead of getting too bogged down in the pressures of expectations the film follows a triumph of wills and though certain scenes are a bit slow the plot moves fluidly through the two hours with enough twists to keep it interesting. The clearest comparison is to Wes Anderson's Rushmore - the young outcast prodigy protagonists of both films are in love an older woman and generally view adults as ridiculous - but the films differ in style. Vitus leans more on the realistic and serious with real piano virtuosos playing the roles of young and preteen Vitus, while Rushmore with Jason Schwartzman is partial to ironic humor. The talent of the young actors alone would make Vitus worthwhile but the story pulls its own weight and is worthy of your time.

Worth Watching
3 out of 5
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Plot: 3
Imagery: 3
Soundtrack: 3 Buy the Vitus Soundtrack
Originality: 3
Overall: 3