Chrysalis Films, Irish Film Board, Mockingbird Pictures,
Glenn Close, Mia Wasikowska, Aaron Johnson, Janet McTeer, Pauline Collins, Brenda Fricker, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Brendan Gleeson, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Antonia Campbell-Hughes, Mark Williams, Bronagh Gallagher, John Light
Albert Nobbs (Glenn Close) lives in 19th century Dublin Ireland, and works as a butler in Morrison’s Hotel run by Marge Baker (Pauline Collins) a very cheap Hotel matron. Albert is a woman who lived a very hard life and lives as a man, very simply, while trying to put all his money away to someday build a better life as a shop owner, but at the same time petrified that the secret will come out and she will be disgraced and spend the rest of her days in the poorhouse. Due to the fear of the secret coming out, she lives all alone in the world and refuses to get close to anyone. As a result, Albert is extremely lonely and longing for a taste of a normal life in any way possible.
This is a tragic story of a very difficult life. This is a very good, but sad story as we get to know Albert and the crazy characters working in the hotel with her. When Albert finds a way to possibly escape this life, a strange love triangle emerges that causes even more drama in Albert’s life. This is a very well done period piece, and Glenn Close does a wonderful job portraying a woman, living life as a man. She is very good in this role, and it is never unbelievable, nor do we ever get distracting thinking it’s Glen Close in there, but at the same time, due to the time period this is set in, it had to be done without much makeup as the people of that time did not wear makeup. This is a very Dickens-like story, and throughout it reminds me of many of the novels of Charles Dickens. The story evolves fairly slowly, but it is really interesting so it doesn’t feel slow. But we do really get to know the characters very well, and there are some really colorful people in this story. The entire cast does a very good job, and the story is very absorbing and it is a film that will keep you thinking long after the film is over.
I recommend this film. It is not an action-adventure or slapstick comedy. It’s a period drama that has a lot of value, and though I typically get really bored with this genre, this film was very interesting from start to finish. I enjoyed it a lot, and if you want a story with some substance, this is an excellent film of that type.
EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog
