Kristien Van Pellicom in Innocence (2000)

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Innocence is a romantic drama which explores one of the least examined aspects of sexual love, that between senior citizens.

The two principals had been lovers 50 years earlier in Belgium. They remained in each other's memories as the true loves of their respective lives, but only as memories because they had not spoken or written in those fifty years. He, now a widower living in Australia, finds that she is living not very far away. He writes her, they get together, they fall in love all over again.

The script allows the relationship to develop as it might if this really happened. Yes, their love is tender and touching, and it is even sexual. It is moving to realize that such a love never fades. But life is much more complex than it was when they were young and fancy-free. They each have children now. Far more important, she has a husband to whom she has been married for 45 years, and hubby is understandably displeased with the recent events. Given the advanced ages of all concerned, there are the inevitable health complications. As it turns out, the male lover is dying of cancer, and the female has a severe heart condition.

Was it all worth it to create so much pain for the husband, given the short time they had together? The script offers no facile answers. It is more like a philosophical rumination about which questions they raised with their love, without ever really trying to supply solutions.

It is a gentle and affecting film which tries to stay within the boundaries of reality.

Nudity Report: Kristien Van Pellicom was seen topless in flashbacks to their youth.

Critics Vote: General consensus: three and a half stars. Ebert 4/4. Berardinelli ¾.

IMDb Summary: Voting results: IMDb voters score it a near-classic 7.4/10.

Box Office: It grossed $2 million in the USA as a 50 screen niche product.

DVD Info: Widescreen anamorphic 1.85:1.


Written by: Scoopy …courtesy of Scoopy.net