Empire of Light (2022)
A gorgeously failed Oscar drama.
Presentation:
Roger Deakins demonstrates how to make any location beautiful with lighting and gels. My only problem is some shots look inappropriately stylized, simply too good for the story at hand, which is a bit jarring when juxtaposed with outdoor scenes with natural lighting. It looks like a Roger Deakins film, which is also beyond beautiful, though not always complementary the scene is a trash back alleyway. I found the visuals to even be a bit distracting at times, which if you follow the master cinematographer’s teachings is a departure from his usual matra. Deakins evolves into large format and wider Arri signature primes, the clean visuals making it a bit unclear as to which time period the film takes place. It tonally feels like Sam Mendes is trying to recycle the magic from American Beauty.
Story:
The story takes place at an English theatre during a time with racial tensions. The are some criticisms that the racial elements were unnecessary and sprinkled in as an afterthought, that the film would be fine without it, but i think it actually really humanized the supporting lead. Olivia Colman gives another class performance with masterful presence. I personally really enjoyed their relationship and didn't find racial elements to detract from the story, though the focus is definitely spread thin. Ultimately the movie hinges on the relationship between the lead and supporting lead, which I found genuine. Do the two really have chemistry? It’s not so much the race as it is the age. I personally didn't find it distracting but I can see it not convincing some audiences.
Conclusion:
I can’t get over how beautiful this film is. But whether you’ll like it depends on whether you find their romance convincing. I personally didn’t think there was a politically motivated agenda despite it appearing so (other than fishing for Oscars) and I’m normally quite observant of this. It may not be out of place for some, but I was able to look past the flaws. I’m a big fan of Olivia Colman and the shortcomings didn’t detract from the drama or romance for me.
Recommendations
Do androids dream of electric sheep?