IMDb 6.7 2008 HD

Elegy

Elegy

2008
Drama Romance
112 min R USA
6.299 / 10
6.7 IMDB

Cultural critic David Kepesh finds his life -- which he indicates is a state of "emancipated manhood" -- thrown into tragic disarray by Consuela Castillo, a well-mannered student…

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director Isabel Coixet
Starring
Penélope Cruz / Ben Kingsley / Patricia Clarkson / Peter Sarsgaard / Dennis Hopper / Sonja Bennett / Chelah Horsdal / Shaker Paleja

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

complex intense emotional dramatic sensual thought-provoking mature poignant powerful lingering vulnerable passionate

Reviews

I
Isabelle Moreau
May 2, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

Penélope Cruz is incandescent as Consuela Castillo, the student who ignites a passionate, possessive fire in Ben Kingsley's intellectual David Kepesh in 'Elegy'. The film masterfully captures the intoxicating, and ultimately destructive, nature of their connection. The direction,…

A
Arthur Pendelton
May 2, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

'Elegy' presents a potent, if sometimes predictable, examination of an older academic's entanglement with a much younger student. Ben Kingsley anchors the film with his usual gravitas, while Penélope Cruz brings a captivating presence to Consuela Castillo. The…

G
Genevieve Dubois
May 2, 2026
4.5 / 5
4.5

This is a deeply affecting study of desire and its consequences. Ben Kingsley is nothing short of magnificent as David Kepesh, a man who thinks he has mastered his emotions, only to be undone by a student, Consuela…

M
Marcus Bellweather
May 2, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

'Elegy' is a film that hinges on the profound performance of Ben Kingsley. As David Kepesh, he portrays a man whose intellectual detachment is violently disrupted by a younger student, Consuela Castillo, played with compelling sensuality by Penélope…

E
Eleanor Vance
May 2, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

Ben Kingsley delivers a masterclass in 'Elegy', embodying the intellectual arrogance and eventual vulnerability of cultural critic David Kepesh. His carefully curated life of 'emancipated manhood' is brilliantly dismantled by Penélope Cruz's Consuela Castillo, a student who ignites…

FAQs

'Elegy' possesses a tone that is largely contemplative and melancholic, punctuated by moments of intense passion. It navigates the complexities of adult relationships and the anxieties of aging with a serious, often introspective, demeanour. While there are scenes of undeniable sensuality, the overarching mood leans towards a poignant examination of life's emotional currents, particularly the unexpected disruptions that can occur in later years. It's a film that invites reflection rather than immediate emotional catharsis.