The Happy Prince (2018)

Titled from a tale within a collection of short stories by the famous Oscar Wilde; this film mirrors the tragic beauty of the swallow and statue. A poet, playwright and author is accounted in his later years and comes across like a touching tribute to the man.

Residing in Paris after being imprisoned for sodomy, Oscar Wilde (Rupert Everett) is a penniless man but still has friends he can depend on. The film then looks back at how Wilde came to this point and the loves and lusts he fell into along the way, none more so than with Alfred Douglas (Colin Morgan).

It’s a remarkably interesting biopic with a remarkable figure at the centre. I’ve read and studied Wilde’s plays through university and his talent is incredible, the film furthers his character and provides depth to a troubled man, pretty much ruined by society. Rupert Everett’s direction and screenplay doesn’t shy away from the grim side of destitution but revels in the lavish nature of Oscar’s behaviours too.

This makes for a mighty kind of film to watch, there are fun moments to be had but it’s quite a heavy going watch because Everett really makes us see how tough the Irish writer had it in the latter stages of his life. Some of the heavier moments make the biographical journey almost on the nose, of filling out criteria you come to expect from a film like this, plus there’s a couple of points where the film starts feeling long; the back and forth and trotting of the globe with Wilde’s past becoming a vague strain.

A stand out moment with Everett providing stand up singing prowess is a sparkling gem, gilding Wilde with the undeniable talent and attention-grabbing ease he possessed. A couple of throwbacks to a bleak time on a platform at Clapham Junction are washed out of colour, grey and therefore work in showcasing the nastier times in his existence when the people had turned on him. It’s not exactly a film constantly keeping up engagement but there’s a showy, absorbing quality to the most part.

Rupert Everett makes the playwright come alive with vivid intrigue and a Brando like touch of greatness to a role he totally inhabits. He provides a balance of desperate scrapings for love and money with Wilde’s whip smart wordsmith wizardry. Colin Morgan is very good in a role that shows off his spoilt and money orientated manner, he does well as a man almost like the villain of the play.

Oscar Wilde’s later years are documented with great care in a clear passion project from Rupert Everett. The film is also being smart in a late US release because I can see award potential from his turn as the Dublin born figure. We may know of the man and his work but this film proves there’s more to learn and feel.

6.5/10

On Chesil Beach (2018)

Here is a reunion of sorts, as ‘Atonement’ star Saoirse Ronan and its author team up to tell the story of a young married couple. It’s a small scale tale and one that’s excellently performed, but it’s a film that comes across as quite bland.

Spending their wedding night at a hotel near Chesil Beach; are classical music player Florence (Saoirse Ronan) and country romantic Edward (Billy Howle). As they near the consummation of their marriage, it becomes clear that something could stand in their way.

The 1962 period and quintessential Britishness of the Dorset locations are prettily shot. Sean Bobbitt certainly gives the stretch of uncomfortable looking shingle a vague haunting quality. It also is a place of quiet yet heated reflection which becomes the setting of the revelation that stirs the pot and helps step the film narrative up.

Before this moment, I have to say the movie is quite a slow and dragging affair. There are some humorous moments and within the flashbacks of their courtship, it’s clear to see their adoration but they’re never totally interesting. There’s also the matter, that after the big moment, there’s two points in the plot that are so predictable. Luckily, I can forgive the expect record shop moment and the ending because they’re performed so well that my gut was punched and my eyes almost welled with tears.

Ronan is always an sensational actor to watch and that doesn’t change here. The way she plays the upper class and more stuffy frigid nature of her character is superb, you always buy into Florence’s pained fears of commitment. Howle, surprisingly, stole the film for me. I love Ronan as an actor but I was enthralled by his turn as Edward and especially in the later stages of the film I felt for him.

It’s not a clumsy film but it’s not exactly a serene picture-perfect one either. The acting from the two lovers are what keep the interests just above nap-mode. ‘On Chesil Beach’ comes across like a great Sunday afternoon watch, to have on whilst you’re enjoying a solid British roast dinner.

6/10

Everest (2015)

Mother nature is undeniably a force to be reckoned with and this film goes part of the way to mirroring that strength, but an ensemble cast, a flurry of snow strained predictability and general un-provoking storytelling stop this movie from being the exhilarating experience it should have been.

Taken from the true events in 1996, this movie sees two expeditions attempting to summit Mount Everest. Rob Hall (Jason Clarke) and Scott Fischer (Jake Gyllenhaal) have contrasting methods but unite to try and deal with the increasing size of hopeful climbers. As they climb they face a dangerous oncoming storm threatening their chances of safe descent.

I have to say that the look of the film stands true as the best feature for this outing. Directed with sheer grandeur from Baltasar Kormakur this film does a heroic job in demonstrating the uncaring brutality of Mt. Everest. The cinematography of course does more than the fair share of creative duties and credit goes to Salvatore Totino who makes this IMAX movie come alive with depth and added frostiness. The scope is huge and as the shots sweep alongside the less than forgiving nature of this world breaking mountain, we as the audience can’t help but feel like a speck compared to it. The calmer moments seeing the walkways, ladders and peaks are scary but stunning.

It’s in the latter stages of this film where things avalanche. The stormy shots that surround the frightening weather change are admittedly bold and edited ferociously but a lot is lost in this scenes. What with all the hefty coats, masks and hats, it’s hard to keep track of who’s who, the dialogue becomes overly muffled and things after being built up so well, feel rushed to be over with before you know it. It feels more like a cinematic experience at times which is wrong considering it’s true subject matter, a fact I only remembered again once the real life credits came on screen.

The writing is another part of the trouble I feel also. Taken on by both Simon Beaufoy and William Nicholson, two great writers I may add, this movie suffers a couple of really cheesy lines that for me at least took me slightly out of the grit of the film. The build up is dealt with in a great manner though, it’s a grand shame that the sequence of pounding stormy disasters aren’t delved into further than the spectacle. The major fault is the ensemble scenario, I know clearly they have to follow this because of the amount of climbers that took part but in this, we suffer characters with not enough connection and by the end don’t get that deserved emotional hit. Also by no fault of the writers, casting such a well known rosta of faces doesn’t help the films impressively detracts from the true story.

Jason Clarke is fantastically grizzled but assured as the safer mountain leader. Obviously the writers spent a lot of time on his narrative so Clarke helps Hall feel more rounded and you invest in his plight. Jake Gyllenhaal is electric as he’s proving to be with more and more, he doesn’t gain much screen time but in the scenes he appears he makes you root for the more adrenaline seeking persona. Emily Watson brings the emotional punch as base camp manager Helen. Keira Knightley joins that emotional fanfare as the home stuck pregnant wife to Rob Hall. The film makes no light that she had actually beat Everest also, an interesting back story that could have helped her become less of the weak female cliche added in for star weight and phone call scenes. Josh Brolin is the 100% Texan Beck Weathers and comes in for a severe beating thanks to Everest. He doesn’t get a great much to stand out but does well as the suffering victim. I still haven’t even mentioned Sam Worthington, Robin Wright and John Hawkes who also appear in roles that add to the dragging out of the movie.

This is in no way a bad film, it’s good, just not as powerful as it hoped to be concerning the beast of Everest. It undoubtedly makes you not ever want to attempt climbing the tallest mountain in the world and along with a beautifully fine score and crisp imagery this movie does enough to show off enough altitude spectacle.

6/10