Immortal Beloved

REVIEW
Oldman stars as Ludwig van Beethoven in this somewhat trivial examination of the tempestuous composer's life and loves. Beginning with Beethoven's death, the story follows the travails of Beethoven's confidant (Krabbé) who sets out to find the mysterious "Immortal Beloved" named as the composer's beneficiary. His search leads him across war-torn Europe. While all of the actors perform adequately, nothing of real consequence happens. And as the film is structured as a series of flashbacks, there is no foundation of dramatic tension. While the soundtrack is most pleasing, one can't help but wish that Ken Russell had been at the helm to take this film over the top and into the realm of the absurd, because that is where it wants to go.