SoftInloveRox Horrible, fascist and poorly acted

FrogGlace In other words,this film is a surreal ride.

Winifred The movie is made so realistic it has a lot of that WoW feeling at the right moments and never tooo over the top. the suspense is done so well and the emotion is felt. Very well put together with the music and all.

Wyatt There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

Peter Young Madame Sousatzka is overall a well-made and enjoyable film which gives the audience an interesting glimpse into the world of piano music. The film is mainly about music, and as expected, the music is an integral part of it, and it is beautiful. Just like a film of this sort would require, Madame Sousatzka has a very good score which contributes to its musical and dramatic tone, and also a serene, subtle narrative style which complements the story, the characters and the overall atmosphere. The biggest triumph of the writers, however, is the main character of piano teacher Madame Sousatzka, which is memorable. The film tells her story by mainly focusing on the lessons she gives to the young son of an Indian immigrant, and there we see who she is. She is strict, demanding, uncompromising, but she is also loving, caring and kind.All of it is handled perfectly by one of my favourite actresses, Shirley MacLaine. This is her show all the way, and she is excellent in a heartbreaking and unforgettable performance. She skillfully creates a tough yet vulnerable persona and plays Sousatzka's strength, inner pain, and her struggle with her lonely present and her twisted past with great conviction. We know everything about this faded but assertive lady, one that we can meet everyday in our neighbourhood, just because of this portrayal. Her facial expressions are amazing, and throughout the film they really enhance the impact she makes here. This colourful character lets her be imperious, motherly, humorous, funny, unlikable, moving and sympathetic throughout it, and in some instances, she can be all of the above at the same time. A great, great performance.MacLaine is supported by several good actors giving good support. Another favourite of mine, Shabana Azmi, is very good in a much smaller part as the loving but greedy Bengali mom. Her Bengali accent and mannerisms (which most non-Indians would never really take notice of) are spot on, and she comes across as a lively and vivacious character. Navin Chowdhry is pretty good as the student. The film is quiet and even though it is a bit slow in pace, it is entertaining and makes for an interesting watch. Obviously for me, it is MacLaine's performance which makes it so recommendable. Madame Sousatzka is not the greatest movie you will see, it is definitely not a film that would be enjoyed by everyone, and even though I personally had bigger expectations from it, it is overall a fine, artistic and well-made picture.

edwagreen Shirley MacLaine gave an effective, splendid performance in this film dealing with an imperious music teacher and the relationship she developed with an Indian student.Taking place in England, Mme. Sousatzka is a difficult woman trying to live life through her Indian student. Life, as we know it, has passed the Madame by. Flashbacks show a difficult mother. Once Sousatzka becomes your teacher, she totally throws herself into the lives of those she taught. You are taught not only to play but feel music as well throughout your body.We have a very interesting cast in this film. The late Dame Peggy Ashcroft appears as the landlady and of all people, Twiggy portrays a tenant in the rooming-house where Sousatzka lives with the group while teaching music. Again, we see the decline of a neighborhood and those wanting to buy Ashcroft out.Music was certainly one of the many things in Shirley MacLaine's long career. Remember her in What A Way to Go? and The Turning Point? Too bad that Shirley didn't garner another Oscar nomination for her performance here. The make-up artist working on her did a fabulous job. There were actually some scenes that I thought she resembled Carol Burnett's Norma Desmond of 'Sunset' fame. This is a strong character study of a woman whose life has passed her by. Dedicated to the teaching of music, she allowed herself to be totally immersed in it.

dwr246 Madame Sousatska is a story of the collision of worlds: British vs. Indian, art vs. business, artist vs. non-artist, and most importantly, adult vs. child.Manek Sen (Navin Chowdhry) is the bright, gifted child of a poor Indian immigrant, Shushita (Shabana Azmi). Shushita, a rich and powerful woman until her divorce, gets by providing Indian food to department stores in London. Realizing that Manek has real talent, and may be able to have a career as a concert pianist, she pushes him to work on his music. Ultimately, Manek comes to the attention of Irina Sousatska (Shirley MacLaine), one of the best teachers in London. She agrees to take Manek on as a student, and vows to teach him about life while she's at it, which puts her at odds with Shushita. Coming to her flat in a crumbling house in London, Manek enters her world, and meets the people who share the house with her. He develops a particular fondness for Jenny (Twiggy), a model dating Ronnie Blum (Leigh Lawson), a concert promoter who takes an interest in booking Manek for a concert appearance with a symphony orchestra. Madame Sousatska is dead set against this since her own concert career was derailed when she was pushed to perform in public before she was ready. When Manek decides to go ahead with the concert, she refuses to teach him anymore, but when Manek triumphs, she wants to help guide him. Will he continue to work with her, or go on to work with Leo Milev (Robert Rietty)? It's an interesting premise, handled deftly. Madame Sousatska claims that life and art are all wound up together and can't be separated, and the movie does a good job of showing this. Particularly well handled is Madame Sousatska's back story, which is told through a series of short flashbacks, presenting only the information pertinent to the plot, rather than her whole life story. Manek is shown having a hard time reconciling being a teenager with being an artist in training. And Shushita is shown as not quite accepting that she is not the most important thing in Manek's life.The acting was first rate. Chowdhry does an excellent job in creating the character of Manek, showing all of the facets to the youth. Twiggy gives a sweet performance as a likable woman longing for a man who treats her badly, and not realizing just how deep Manek's emotions for her run. Lawson is perfect as the smarmy concert promoter. Azmi's Shushita is annoyingly self-absorbed, and clearly more interested in exploiting her son than in raising him. MacLaine sparkles as Sousatska, although she can't seem to decide which accent she is going to use for her character, and her continual switching between them is distracting. Still, it's a solid performance that more than carries the movie.This a lovely movie, a treat for the ears as well as the eyes. And it shows that devotion to one's art, while it does have its rewards, also has its costs.

rew3211 This movie was wonderfully written, produced and directed. A+. Easily a 3 star movie, esp if you are one of the many music persons who also play an instrument. However, I was a bit bewildered about the contribution of Twiggy and the boy's kissing her. MacLaine was outstanding!!