Words And Pictures

A picture is worth a thousand words.

It’s a saying we’ve all heard before, but is it really true? Pictures or words; which are more valuable in delivering a message? Director Fred Schepisi’s Words and Pictures aims to answer this age old question alongside a heartwarming love story between an alcoholic English teacher and an ill-mannered art teacher. When each believes that their respective profession is better, they hold a competition with their students to decide which is the one and only champion.

Jack Marcus (Clive Owen) is a former poet and published author who has traded in his pen for a lackluster teaching position. He’s fallen off the handle in recent years having driven further into his alcoholic tendencies which have impacted his relationship with his son and the writings in the yearly student magazine he publishes. Dina Delsanto (Juliette Binoche) is a world renowned artist who has recently taken up a teaching job at the same school due to having difficulty in painting anymore because of an illness that is taking over her body. They’re two vastly different people, but they find similarities in each other through their respective passions.

Words and Pictures is a charming romantic drama that comes from the heart. Clive Owen and Juliette Binoche have wonderful chemistry together and bring a sense of reality to the film that feels lost in many of today’s romances. There are ups and downs and everything isn’t just flowers and picnics. Jack Marcus very much has a Dead Poets Society vibe going on. Even though he has his own faults, his good intentions make him an interesting character. He’s a good writer and teacher. He just needs to get past his drinking problems to see that.

Whether you’re a fan of either words or pictures, there’s something everyone can enjoy in the film. Words and Pictures is a satisfying break from the repetition of Hollywood blockbusters we receive every summer and delivers an entertaining experience.