Rent Ivans xtc. (2000)

Hollywood Uncovered. - Ivans xtc. review by Steve

Leo Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich is transferred to contemporary Hollywood. Danny Huston stars as a hot talent agent surfing a west coast inferno of cocaine, gratis call girls, and the trash and autocrats of tinseltown. The story begins at the end. With Ivan's funeral, where there is an assumption is the dead man 'freebased his face off'.

And then we witness his descent through a decadent hell, to his death from cancer, in the arms of a hospice nurse. The director, Bernard Rose, became poison in Hollywood for this exposé of the film industry. It offers a vicarious insight into the iniquities of those with apparently limitless wealth and power.

Huston's gives us one of the great screen performances. His denial, his absolute fear of his mortality, played out behind the perma-smile of his unctuous facade; his inability to confront any situation without trying to manage or spin it. Even his own death. Somehow, he earns our pity.

There are heroes in the background, the ordinary people whose unregarded toil makes the privileges of the few possible. This is a profoundly moral film that invites us to identify with Ivan and judge ourselves against the possibility of a better life, and to remind us that time is running out. Few film have burned me as deeply as this.

The final scene - Ivans xtc. review by CW

I am giving this 5 stars because of the last scene. Watching the movie I was tempted to stop because I just wasn’t interested in the totally self centred people . I kept going though because the main character Ivan, played by Danny Huston, is such a sweet loveable guy. Ivan has a smile that lights up the room. There are glimpses of him at parties, surrounded by people, when you see sadness in his eyes. If anyone looks at him he breaks into a smile. His best friend seems to be an old golden retriever. (I did wonder when does that poor dog ever get taken out?). 

Spoiler: Then the final scene. Ivan’s world is imploding.  He is in intensive care, dying in hospital. The soaring music is from Tristan and Isolde. Ian is tethered to the bed with tubes. Machines blinking to either side of him. A nurse enters his room. She does not know him but with profound empathy she tenderly wipes his face as his wild eyes bore into her. He reaches to her shoulder. Instead of shrugging him off, she puts her hand on his. She holds his other hand. She puts her forehead on his. She offers him dignity. This compassion, human touch is what he so craved. As she leaves, in slow motion, she touches his foot. I watched this while we are in lockdown with the plague like virus. Doctors, nurses and staff in hospitals are covered in protective gear. They are unable to offer this human touch. People are dying without being held. This last scene is done so incredibly well I was literally gasping. As soon as it was over, I reversed and watched that scene again. The directing is truly marvellous. 

Danny Huston  is as good as it gets. I want to see every movie he is in.