Starring: Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel, Rachel Weisz
Directed by: Paolo Sorrentino (“The Great Beauty”)
Written by: Paolo Sorrentino (“The Great Beauty”)

Save for the pair of formidable performances by actors Michael Caine and Harvey Keitel, this unconventional dramedy helmed by Italian director Paolo Sorrentino (“The Great Beauty”) is a compelling albeit frustrating mess. Set in a vacation resort in the Swiss Alps, two longtime friends (Caine and Keitel), one a retired composer, the other a working filmmaker, reminisce about the past and meet a cast of surreal characters that add no real substance to the bizarre plot (or lack thereof). While the dreamlike imagery is lovely and attempting to solve Sorrentino’s ambiguous themes will probably help you develop a strong mental stamina, it’s not an experience many would consider unpretentious.