Professor David Kepesh (Sir Ben Kingsley) is a very intelligent man. His studies have enlightened him to the belief that “marriage” is a flawed institution. David tested that theory by divorcing his wife many years ago and returning to the lifestyle of a liberated bachelor. Carolyn (Patricia Clarkson) is the woman of his dreams; beautiful, sensual and intimacy free. She flies in, they boink and she flies out leaving David in his tower of solitude.

Things are going extremely well until he does a lecture at a university. A lovely young student named Consuela (Penelope Cruz) catches his eye. David knows he’s too old for this pretty young thing but his loins urge him to take a chance. His best friend, George (Dennis Hopper), practically encourages David to have his little May-December romp now before he’s nursing home bound. David makes a move and Consuela accepts his invitation. What the good professor didn’t count on was love blooming. David figured the roll in the hay would be his last hurrah and a kinky story she could tell her friends about. Yes, Professor Kepesh is an intelligent man but when it comes to affairs of the heart he’s practically cro-magnon.

I assumed that Elegy would mostly focus on the age difference between “David” and “Consuela”. Even in 2009 an older man/younger woman relationship is still kind of taboo. And don’t get me started on the flack older women receive for wooing younger men. The age issue is a part of David’s problem but I was shocked at how David handled the love that Consuela gave to him. It was amusing yet sad how David would talk to George about how he could get rid of his young paramour. I was astonished to hear David talking like the captain of the high school football team scheming on how to dump his cheerleader girlfriend so he could concentrate more on the homecoming game.

Poor Consuela has no idea what she’s in for. The girl is showering this old grump with oodles of affection and tenderness and honesty David tells himself he truly doesn’t deserve. And he’s right. She is an open book to him. She wants to reveal more of herself and her life to her beloved. Meanwhile, beloved cowers in the corner afraid to be in love and afraid to be as emotionally generous towards her.

I don’t want to completely bash David and Carolyn because they’re not monsters. To me they represent those kind of people who worked so hard to get where they’re at. Perhaps they devoted themselves to the office or to their studies. Then it happens. They have that realization that they’re not kids anymore and that awareness that they’re sitting pretty in their respective ivory towers all alone. Is it too late for him or her to love someone completely and without boundaries? Or is it true that you can’t teach old dogs new tricks?

Based on Phillip Roth’s novel, “The Dying Animal”, (which I never read) and directed by Isabel Coixet this film called Elegy is a documentary about our capacity to truly love one another. Some might relate to Carolyn and David who see attachment as a prison that prevents them from being truly free so they avoid it like the plague. Others will be on Consuela’s team of people that believe in companionship and an intimacy that transcends the borders of the mattress.

Sir Ben Kingsley is a shining knight, indeed. That gorgeous shaved head. That perfectly trimmed goatee. That svelte and compact body of his. They picked the perfect man for this job and that’s all I’ll say without tripping over into X-Rated territory. I love the characters Patricia Clarkson plays. They’re always so feisty and confident and “Carolyn” is yet another independent woman who can play with the big boys….in heels, no less. I enjoyed Penelope Cruz in this (and no, not just for the nude scenes). In fact, I think it would’ve been more fitting for Ms. Cruz to get the Oscar for her performance in Elegy rather than Vicki Cristina Barcelona.

Dennis Hopper is his usual wild self though a little bit toned down to better fit into the style of the film. David’s whiny son “Kenny” is played by Peter Sarsgaard. No offense but once Kenny made his debut I couldn’t blame David for estranging himself from the emotionally scattered doctor. Plus, Debbie Harry is on board as George’s wife.

Special features are minimal with just a behind the scenes featurette and trailers but the insightful comments from the cast and crew are nice to watch.

Elegy is an elegantly put together review of love, loss and forgiveness. It also teaches that getting older doesn’t necessarily mean you’re gonna get smarter. David knows so much about books and art but when he encounters true love he’s all thumbs. Sometimes the teacher has to allow himself to be taught by the student.