MOVIE
Directed by James Ivory. Starring Omar Metwally, Anthony Hopkins and Charlotte Gainsbourg.
Based on the novel of the same name by Peter Cameron, The City of Your Final Destination tells the story of Iranian-born university student Omar Razaghi (Omar Metwally), who wins a grant to pen the biography of late writer Jules Gund - who had only written a single novel in the span his career and committed suicide halfway through his second. Determined to accurately portray his career and life, Razaghi contacts the late writer's estate in hopes to obtain permission and access to his personal files as well as establish contact with his loved ones. When the estate denies him authorisation, Razaghi decides to travel to Uruguay, where Gund's family resides and where he spent his final days. He is reluctantly greeted by his widow Caroline (Laura Linney), mistress Arden (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and brother Adam (Anthony Hopkins), who all live together. After spending time with each one of them, Razaghi begins to discover their individual histories with the writer as well as hidden agendas, laying bare Gund's inner turmoil. Without the use of an overdramatic plot, director James Ivory masterfully conveys various tangled storylines thanks to multilayered characters and a well-written script that tackles themes of literary creativity, capricious love affairs and intricate family ties.
