Overlooked Movies: Casanova

There's probably a good reason why I like movies that don't get good reviews, but I'm not sure what it is.  Maybe I'm just a sucker for contrived plots, great soundtracks, beautiful scenery, lots of laughs, lavish color and costuming, attractive stars, and happy endings.  Casanova has all of that, and more, so naturally I love it.  If you're looking for historical accuracy, however, you've come to the wrong movie.

Heath Ledger plays Casanova, who's in big trouble in Venice because of his many escapades.  The doge tells him to get married to a good woman or get out.  He doesn't want to leave, so he selects a woman just in time to fall for someone else, Francesca Bruni, an ardent feminist, played by Sienna Miller.  Bruni hates everything Casanova stands for, so he adopts various personas to win her love.  And she's engaged, too, to a man she's never met, the Lard King of Genoa (Oliver Platt).  Not to mention that her brother is already engaged to the woman Casanova has decided to marry.  And then the Inquisition's representative (Jeremy Irons) shows up to capture Casanova and put him in prison for his many licentious crimes.  To say its complicated is to understate it, but, hey, it's a farce.  

Oliver Platt is hilarious.  So is Omid Djalili as Casanova's servant, Lupo.  Miller and Ledger are just right, funny and smart and attractive.  Venice is as beautiful as you'll ever see it.  And, as I mentioned, all's well that ends well.  What's not to like?  I dunno.  Some people didn't like it, but I sure did.