''The City of Your Final Destination'' is a 2009 American

romantic drama film Romance films or movies involve romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theatres or on television that focus on passion (emotion), passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typica ...

directed by

James Ivory James Francis Ivory (born June 7, 1928) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. For many years, he worked extensively with Indian-born film producer Ismail Merchant, his domestic as well as professional partner, and with screen ...

and starring

Anthony Hopkins Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins (born 31 December 1937) is a Welsh actor, director, and producer. One of Britain's most recognisable and prolific actors, he is known for his performances on the screen and stage. Hopkins has received many accolad ...

Laura Linney Laura Leggett Linney (born February 5, 1964) is an American actress. Having studied acting at Juilliard School (1986-1990), she became known for her complex and multilayered performances on stage and screen. She has received various accolades, ...

Charlotte Gainsbourg Charlotte Lucy Gainsbourg (; born 21 July 1971) is a British-French actress and singer. She is the daughter of English actress Jane Birkin and French musician Serge Gainsbourg. After making her musical debut with her father on the song "Lemon I ...

Omar Metwally Omar Metwally is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Dr. Vik Ullah in the Showtime television series '' The Affair'', as well as for '' Rendition'' (2007), ''Munich'' (2005), and ''Miral'' (2010). He has also appeared in the ...

Hiroyuki Sanada is a Japanese actor and martial artist. He is best known to international audiences for his roles as Genbu in ''Ninja in the Dragon's Den'' (1982), Ryuji Takayama in ''Ring'' (1998), Seibei Iguchi in ''The Twilight Samurai'' (2002), Ujio in ''T ...

and

Norma Aleandro Norma Aleandro (born 2 May 1936) is an Argentine actress. She is considered one of the most celebrated and prolific Argentine actresses of all time and is recognized as a cultural icon in her home country. Aleandro starred in the 1985 film '' T ...

. It was written by

Ruth Prawer Jhabvala Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (; 7 May 19273 April 2013) was a British author and screenwriter. She is best known for her collaboration with Merchant Ivory Productions, made up of director James Ivory and producer Ismail Merchant. In 1951, Jhabvala ma ...

and based on the eponymous novel by Peter Cameron. The film is the first Merchant Ivory film production without the participation of producer

Ismail Merchant Ismail Merchant (born Ismail Noor Muhammad Abdul Rahman (25 December 1936 – 25 May 2005)) was an Indian film producer, director and screenwriter. He worked for many years in collaboration with Merchant Ivory Productions which included Directo ...

and composer Richard Robbins. Also, it is to date the last film directed by Ivory.

Synopsis

Graduate student Omar Razaghi (

) wishes to write a biography on obscure writer Jules Gund, who died years before. Omar must travel to

Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...

to persuade the Gund family to authorize the biography.

Cast

as Omar Razaghi *

as Adam Gund ** Nicholas Blandullo as Young Adam *

Alexandra Maria Lara Alexandra Maria Lara (''née'' Plătăreanu; 12 November 1978) is a Romanian-German actress who has appeared in ''Downfall (2004 film), Downfall'' (2004), ''Control (2007 film), Control'' (2007), ''Youth Without Youth (film), Youth Without You ...

as Deirdre Rothemund (Deirdre MacArthur in the novel) *

as Arden Langdon *

as Caroline Gund *

as Mrs. Van Euwen * Ambar Mallman as Portia Gund * Norma Argentina as Alma *

Hector Fonseca Hector Fonseca (born January 10, 1980 in Bronx, New York City, New York) is an internationally acclaimed house music DJ. In addition to his production and DJ work, Fonseca is one of the music industry's most requested remixers due to his abili ...

as Old Gaucho *

as Pete * Julieta Vallina as Schoolbus Lady * Sofia Viruboff as Adam's Mother * James Martin as Postman * Oscar Rolleri as Young Gaucho *

Arturo Goetz Arturo L. Goetz (24 June 1944 – 28 July 2014) was an Argentine film actor. He worked in the cinema of Argentina. He studied for a Doctor of Philosophy degree in economics at Jesus College, Oxford, from 1971 to 1974, and published his findings ...

as Mrs. Van Euwen's Guest * Marcos Montes as Mrs. Van Euwen's Guest * Sophie Tirouflet as Mrs. Van Euwen's Guest *

Luciano Suardi Luciano is an Italian, Spanish and Portuguese given name and surname. It is derived from Latin ''Lucianus'', patronymic of ''Lucius'' ("Light"). The French form is ''Lucien'', while the Basque form is ''Luken''. Single name * Luciano (rapper ...

as Doctor Pereira * Carlos Torres as Barber * Pietro Gian as Taxi Driver *

Julia Perez Yuli Rachmawati (15 July 1980 – 10 June 2017), better known as Julia Perez (abbreviated as Jupe), was an Indonesian actress, singer, model, announcer, and businesswoman. In the early 2010s, she became known for her outspoken statements against ...

as Nurse * Yuri Vergeichikov as Luis, the Driver * Agustín Pereyra Lucena as Guitarist * Pablo Druker as Conductor * Eliot Mathews as Deirdre's Escort * Andrew Sanders as Caroline's Escort * Jonatan Nahuel Ingla as Gaucho * Nicolás Zalazar as young student * Susana Salerno as Helpful Person at the Bus Depot * César Bordón as Helpful Person at the Bus Depot * Diego Velazquez (American actor) as Helpful Person at the Bus Depot * Rossana Gabbiano as Helpful Person at the Bus Depot The cast had the participation of local actors and citizens who officiated as extras.

Production

Setting

Most of the story in the novel takes place in a small town in

. The novel's beginning chapter takes place in

Lawrence, Kansas Lawrence is the county seat of Douglas County, Kansas, Douglas County, Kansas, United States, and the sixth-largest city in the state. It is in the northeastern sector of the state, astride Interstate 70, between the Kansas River, Kansas and Waka ...

, where the protagonist is a graduate student at the

University of Kansas The University of Kansas (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States, and several satellite campuses, research and educational centers, medical centers, and classes across the state of Kansas. Tw ...

. The story ends at the New York City Opera Hall.

Locations

Most of the filming took place in two ranches located in the coastal area of the Punta Indio district, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Some scenes were filmed in the district's head city Veronica.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack contains the following music: *"J'ai perdu mon Eurydice" (from " Orphée et Eurydice"), Performed by

Anthony Roth Costanzo Anthony Roth Costanzo is an American countertenor, actor, and producer who has led performances at opera companies around the world. Beginning his career in musical theatre at the age of 11, he has since been featured at the Metropolitan Opera ...

, Composer

Christoph Willibald Gluck Christoph Willibald (Ritter von) Gluck (; 2 July 1714 – 15 November 1787) was a composer of Italian and French opera in the early classical period. Born in the Upper Palatinate and raised in Bohemia, both part of the Holy Roman Empire, he g ...

. *"Venetian Medley", Composed and performed by

. *"Dos Palomitas", Performed by

& Ambar Mallman, Traditional popular song from

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...

. *"

The Merry Widow ''The Merry Widow'' (german: Die lustige Witwe, links=no ) is an operetta by the Austro-Hungarian composer Franz Lehár. The librettists, Viktor Léon and Leo Stein, based the story – concerning a rich widow, and her countrymen's attempt t ...

, Second Act: No.7 Introduction. Tanz und Vilja-Lied", Performed by

Cheryl Studer Cheryl Studer (born October 24, 1955) is an American dramatic soprano who has sung at many of the world's foremost opera houses. Studer has performed more than eighty roles ranging from the dramatic repertoire to roles more commonly associated ...

and

Chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in which all verse ...

, Composer

Franz Lehár Franz Lehár ( ; hu, Lehár Ferenc ; 30 April 1870 – 24 October 1948) was an Austro-Hungarian composer. He is mainly known for his operettas, of which the most successful and best known is ''The Merry Widow'' (''Die lustige Witwe''). Life ...

Deutsche Grammophon Deutsche Grammophon (; DGG) is a German classical music record label that was the precursor of the corporation PolyGram. Headquartered in Berlin Friedrichshain, it is now part of Universal Music Group (UMG) since its merger with the UMG family of ...

. *"Sonata for violin and piano (1943), Intermezzo. Tres lent et calme", Performed by The Nash Ensemble, Composer

Francis Poulenc Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc (; 7 January 189930 January 1963) was a French composer and pianist. His compositions include songs, solo piano works, chamber music, choral pieces, operas, ballets, and orchestral concert music. Among the best-kno ...

Hyperion Records Hyperion Records is an independent British classical record label. History Hyperion is an independent British classical label that was established in 1980 with the goal of showcasing recordings of music in all genres and from all time period ...

. *"Sambaden", Composed and performed by

Agustín Pereyra Lucena Agustín is a Spanish given name and sometimes a surname. It is related to Augustín. People with the name include: Given name * Agustín (footballer), Spanish footballer * Agustín Calleri (born 1976), Argentine tennis player * Agustín Cár ...

. *"Sonatine", Performed by Charlotte Gainbourg & Ambar Mallmann, Composer G. Turk, Arranged by Cecilia V. Gonzalez. *" Bastien and Bastienne",

Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra The Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra ('':hu:Liszt Ferenc Kamarazenekar, Liszt Ferenc Kamarazenekar'') is a chamber orchestra based in Budapest, Hungary. The Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra took the name of the great composer, to pay homage to the ge ...

Raymond Leppard Raymond John Leppard (11 August 1927 – 22 October 2019) was a British-American conductor, harpsichordist, composer and editor. In the 1960s, he played a prime role in the rebirth of interest in Baroque music; in particular, he was one of the ...

, director, Composer

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 17565 December 1791), baptised as Joannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart, was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition r ...

Sony Classical Sony Classical is an American record label founded in 1924 as Columbia Masterworks Records, a subsidiary of Columbia Records. In 1980, the Columbia Masterworks label was renamed as CBS Masterworks Records. The CBS Records Group was acquired by S ...

. *"'El museo de las distancias rotas'" (end title 1), Composed for the film and performed by

Jorge Drexler Jorge Abner Drexler Prada (born September 21, 1964) is a Uruguayan musician, actor and doctor specializing in otolaryngology. In 2004, Drexler won wide acclaim after becoming the first Uruguayan to win an Academy Award, which he won for compos ...

, Ediciones SEA/Warner Chappell. *"'La bruma del ayer'" (end title 2), Composed for the film and performed by Jorge Drexler, Ediciones SEA/Warner Chappell.

Release

It had an early preview in New York City on November 27, 2007 (at the ceremony of the ''Trophée des Arts'' for James Ivory from the French Institute New York). In October 2009, James Ivory brought the film to Rome, where it received its official world premiere at the

International Rome Film Festival International Rome Film Fest is a film festival that takes place in Rome during the month of October. The name in Italian is Festa del Cinema di Roma. Sections The Rome Film Festival official program is divided into several sections: Cinema d'Og ...

, out of competition, then showing at

Tokyo International Film Festival The is a film festival established in 1985. The event was held biennially from 1985 to 1991 and annually thereafter. Along with the Shanghai International Film Festival, it is one of Asia's competitive film festivals, and is considered to be the ...

for

's special screening. Screen Media distributed it in the United States on April 16, 2010.

Reception

Critical reception

The film holds an approval rating of 39% on

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...

, based on 56 reviews, and an average rating of 5.3/10. The website's critical consensus reads: "A stellar cast can't elevate this leaden adaptation that, while just as beautiful as anything director James Ivory's made before, comes off as dusty and dry." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 52 out of 100, based on 19 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

Controversy

In early 2007,

claimed that he had yet to be paid for his work on the film and that Merchant Ivory had short-changed the cast and crew. Merchant Ivory counter-argued that Hopkins' payment terms had, in fact, recently been renegotiated higher. Later in the year, the actor filed court papers to take the company to an arbitrator. In October 2007, Hopkins filed a lawsuit against Merchant Ivory for payment of his salary of $750,000. In 2008, actress and singer Susan (Suzy) Malick also filed suit against Merchant Ivory and James Ivory for producer credit and $500,000 in an unpaid loan, used when the film was threatened to be shut down due to lack of funding. In 2012, Malick moved for trial by jury, and the suit was settled out of court.

References

External links

* * *
Merchant Ivory Productions

Screen Media Films

The Molecule (Clips)

Roma Cinema Festival

The World of Sanada Hiroyuki (Tokyo International Film Festival)

{{DEFAULTSORT:City Of Your Final Destination, The 2002 American novels American novels adapted into films Novels set in Uruguay 2009 films American drama films 2009 drama films Films based on American novels Films directed by James Ivory Films shot in Argentina Films shot in Buenos Aires Merchant Ivory Productions films Films with screenplays by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala Novels set in Kansas Films set in Uruguay PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction-winning works Salary controversies in film Works subject to a lawsuit Casting controversies in film 2000s English-language films 2000s American films