Fornication is as good a premise for a story as any other. And at this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival two of the more exciting films rely upon it.

Elegy, starring Penelope Cruz and Sir Ben Kingsley, with a good supporting rôle played by Dennis Hopper, looks into age and sex (amongst other “deeper” human relationships). David Kepesh (Kingsley) is an over-sexed art critic and teacher who becomes obsessed with a unique – and beautiful – new student called Consuela Castillo (Penelope Cruz). But what begins as lechery develops into the most meaningful relationship for Kepesh.

Both Cruz and Kingsley act satisfactorily in Elegy. The former is beautiful and the latter charming – exactly as it’s supposed to be. Kingsley is good at playing the caddish, dirty old man. Every emotion experienced by our heros is intense, but recognizably so. However, he has a certain difficulty pronouncing words like “fuck” and “cock.” This is less the fault of the actor, and more the fault of the writer. The words and, more importantly, their usage do not seem to fit the character.

The theme of age and disease as a limiting factor on life and beauty is an interesting one also explored in Goodnight Irene, another film in the festival. It emphasizes well the speedy passing of time; so speedy that some do not notice its passing and remain young into old age. The conclusion of the film seems to be: Art lives on, while quickly life dies.

But Elegy is also pretentious. It is too culturally knowledgeable for its own good. Kingsley gives the distinct impression of a show off. His character shows a bit too much ostentation. Perhaps this cheap naming of names is culture, but it is not graceful. It is entertaining and thrusts itself on you as a thoroughly cultural experience. The reviewer can relate to its characters as they are always searching for beauty and pleasure. Indeed, Kepesh is a critic. Perhaps this ability to relate is what has produced such praise in the papers. A.O. Scott wrote of the self-satisfaction of the critic in his “The Most Overrated Film of  the Year” (Sideways): “Film critics, for our part, clearly have plenty of self-love to go around.” This has likely had something to do with the great critical success of Elegy.

Married Life, a film directed by Ira Sachs starring Pierce Brosnan, Chris Cooper, Patricia Clarkson and Rachel McAdams has its UK premier at the festival. It follows the story of a successful business man Harry (Cooper) who has fallen in love with a beautiful young woman, Kay (McAdams). The only thing preventing the proverbial wedding bells from ringing is Harry’s wife, Pat (Patricia Clarkson, also in Elegy) – and the libertine Richard Langley (Brosnan). Harry is a good-natured sort of fellow and earnestly believes that leaving his wife would be too harsh. After much consideration, he finally comes upon a most unorthodox method of avoiding this little problem.

The picture is charming and singularly agreeable. Whilst the humour is flippant in places, it remains a “feel-good” sort of movie. The narration done by Pierce Brosnan is relaxing and intriguing simultaneously. It the attaches the audience to the story both optically and emotionally. Chris Cooper plays his rôle, as usual, with a great honesty that makes you think him real – so much so that even his adulterous deceit is looked upon by the most puritanical with a sense of sympathy. The two main actresses, McAdams and Clarkson, are exceptionally attractive women (an invariable plus). The soundtrack was fun, adding a lively, stylish spirit to the film.

The only problems, as such, were minor. It does not pretend to be immensely clever as Elegy rather obnoxiously does. Its purpose is to entertain in a graceful way. It’s moral, if you can call it that, is to question “love”. The setting choice of 1950s America seemed unnecessary, but then again, why not set it in that particular period?

It’s not great, but it’s fun, and that’s what makes it a fine feature.