Movie review: Rudolf Nureyev, defection and all
“The White Crow” takes its title from a Russian term for someone “unusual, extraordinary, an outsider” to tell the story about the defection in 1961 of Soviet Union ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev.
The film is directed in a measured pace by Ralph Fiennes (Oscar nominee, actor, “The English Patient,” 1996; Oscar nominee, supporting actor, “Schindler’s List,” 1993; director, “The Invisible Woman,” 2013; director, “Coriolanus,” 2011), who also plays Alexander Pushkin, ballet teacher to Nureyev at Leningrad Choreographic School, now Vaganova Ballet Academy.
The film concentrates on Nureyev’s life when he performed in Paris as part of a tour by the Leningrad school. The defection by Nureyev was the first of a Soviet artist during the Cold War.
Nureyev danced with The Royal Ballet, London, 1983-1989, and was director of the Paris Opera Ballet. Nureyev died from complications of AIDS at age 54 in 1993.
Fiennes portrays Nureyev’s relationship with Pushkin and his often more than flirtatious situations with Pushkin’s wife, Xenia (Chulpan Khamatova); a female fan, Clara Saint (Adèle Exarchopoulos, “Blue is the Warmest Color,” 2013); fellow male ballet dancer, Teja Kremke (Louis Hofmann, “Red Sparrow,” 2018), and roommate Ukrainian dancer, Yuri Soloviev (Sergei Polunin, “Red Sparrow”).
Nureyev is played beautifully and extraordinarily by Oleg Ivenko, a dancer with Tatar State Ballet, Kazan, Russia, in his feature film acting debut. Ivenko, who bears a strong resemblance to Nureyev, plays the ballet star with haughty grace, athletic prowess and sweetness to balance the obnoxiousness. That Ivenko is such a good dancer is a bonus.
The screenplay by David Hare (Oscar nominee, adapted screenplay, “The Reader,” 2008, and “The Hours,” 2002) is based on the book, “Rudolf Nureyev: The Life,” by Julie Kavanagh.
Awkwardly insistent and interruptive flashbacks represent Nureyev’s youth, when his mother took Nureyev, age 8 (Maksimilian Grigoriyev), to the dance academy.
The film’s powerful final 20 minutes eclipses misgivings the moviegoer may have, bringing the movie to an emotional climax.
“The White Crow” isn’t perfect. Nothing could be as perfect as the great and legendary ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev.
Along with “The Red Shoes” (1948) and “Black Swan” (2010), “The White Crow” is a must-see for fans of the ballet and dance.
“The White Crow,” MPAA Rated R (Restricted Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. Contains some adult material. Parents are urged to learn more about the film before taking their young children with them.) for some sexuality, graphic nudity, and language; Genre: Biography, Drama; Run time: 2 hrs., 7 mins; Distributed by Sony Pictures Classics.
Credit Readers Anonymous: “The White Crow” was filmed in France, Serbia, Croatia, and St. Petersburg, Russia.
Unreel, May 29:
“Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” PG-13: Michael Dougherty directs Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Ken Watanabe and the big CGI guy in the sci-fi, fantasy, action film. Godzilla and other monsters are back, including Mothra, Rodan and Ghidorah.
“Rocketman,” R: Dexter Fletcher directs Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden and Bryce Dallas Howard in the biography drama, for which Egerton is said to have sung the Elton John songs in the title role.
“Ma,” R: Tate Taylor directs Octavia Spencer, Diana Silvers, Juliette Lewis and McKaley Miller in the horror thriller about a lonely middle-aged woman who lets a group of teenagers have a party at her house.
Two popcorn boxes out of five popcorn boxes.
