Whenever you see a movie playing at a film festival that has some big name stars but a relatively unknown director, as a viewer it can be a risky proposition. It might mark the arrival of an amazing new talent but on the other hand it could just as easily be a middle of the road drama making the festival rounds that will never be heard from again. This is kind of the vibe that I’m getting from A Late Quartet, a movie playing at TIFF this year that stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Christopher Walken, Catherine Keener and Imogen Poots. It could be great, but it’s hard to tell what to expect even after watching the first trailer.

Hoffman, Walken, Keener and Mark Ivanir play members of a string quartet who find out that one of them has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and must decide who will take over his position as first chair. Jealousy, bitterness and in-fighting result, which goes to show that a string quartet is really no different than a rock band in that regard. Director Yaron Zilberman has previously only done a documentary called Watermarks, and although the trailer isn’t mindblowing it is nice to see Christopher Walken starring in something that isn’t a comedy for a change. A Late Quartet does not yet have a release date; check out the trailer after the jump and see what you think.