Shadows on the Wall

Elsinore

Review by Rich Cline | MUST SEE

dir Simon Stone
scr Stephen Beresford
prd Andrea Occhipinti, Gabrielle Tana, Pete Shilaimon, Mickey Liddell, Andrew Scott
with Andrew Scott, Olivia Colman, Billie Piper, Johnny Flynn, Matthew Beard, David Dawson, Joe Locke, Luke Thompson, Juliet Stevenson, Monica Dolan, Peter Mullan, Georgie Glen
release US 20.Nov.26,
UK 29.Jan.27
26/UK StudioCanal 1h51

TORONTO FILM FEST

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A powerhouse performance by Andrew Scott fuels this gorgeous biopic about noted Scottish actor Ian Charleson, tracing his performance in the National Theatre's 1989 production of Hamlet. Eight weeks later, he was the first British celebrity whose death was attributed to Aids. Director Simon Stone skilfully recreates the period in an unfussy way that zeroes in on how the theatre world responded to the epidemic as a family.

After starring in two Oscar-winning best pictures, Ian (Scott) is mildly annoyed that Chariots of Fire is mainly remembered for its theme song. A film career never quite materialises, but he thrives on stage, and director friend Richard Eyre (Flynn) offers him the role as Hamlet when Daniel Day-Lewis abruptly leaves. Ian confides to Richard that he's experiencing the first serious symptoms of Aids, and agrees to see top doctor Margaret Johnson (Colman) throughout the run. As his health wavers, Ian relies on his closest friends (Piper and Beard). And he delivers a defining performance.

Theatre company members add lots of texture, as do others like filmmaker friend Derek Jarman (Dawson), who locks horns with Ian about publicly disclosing his sexuality and illness. There are also other Aids patients in Ian's life, including close friend Georgie (Thompson) and young Nicholas (Locke). And a visit from Ian's parents (Millan and Glen) gives the film one of several powerful emotional gut-punches. Thankfully, these moments are played with understated, earthy honesty, which makes them even more moving.

As always, Scott brings unusual depth of intelligence and feeling to the role, allowing the audience in to see Ian's determination to play the greatest role ever written on the greatest theatre stage on earth. Alongside the courage and tenacity, Scott also finds wonderful ripples of jagged humour and warm-hearted camaraderie with everyone he meets. His scenes with Colman are particularly engaging, as Margaret's stern but compassionate concern clashes with Ian's fierce desire to play this demanding role.

Anyone in the performing arts who remembers the Aids epidemic will find this film almost overwhelmingly involving, as it so beautifully finds positivity in the face of aching sadness, while cleverly playing on Shakespearean themes. So it doesn't really matter that the final act is essentially an extended swirly montage that ends in a series of text screens. A more nuanced final scene might have provided a more satisfying dramatic conclusion. Even so, the film brings a terrific story out from behind the scenes and makes a vivid, important impact.

themes, language, sexuality 26.Oct.26

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