June
25
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Supernova (15)
Supernova (15)
Director: Harry Macqueen
Runtime: 1h33m
Cast: Colin Firth, Stanley Tucci, Pippa Haywood, Peter MacQueen, Nina Marlin, Ian Drysdale, Sarah Woodward, James Dreyfus
Synopsis: Sam and Tusker are traveling across England in their old RV to visit friends, family and places from their past. Since Tusker was diagnosed with dementia two years ago, their time together is the most important thing they have.
URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4Vk0CVcDts
Supernova is the second film from actor/film-maker Harry Macqueen [Hinterland (2014)]. It is a heartbreaker full of truth and realism about preparing for loss, driven by two beautiful performances from Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci as a couple with a long history and an uncertain future. It is an introspective road movie which is both deeply affecting and a quietly provocative exploration of love in the face of tragedy.
It is deep Autumn, with spectacular cinematography from Dick Pope of the Lake District and Cumbria, creating images of great visual beauty of the English countryside with postcard-like framing, highlighting nature.
Sam (Colin Firth) a musician and Tusker (Stanley Tucci), a writer are partners of twenty years. They are on holiday, travelling across England with their dog in their old campervan visiting friends, family and places from their past. Since Tusker received a life-changing diagnosis of early-onset dementia two years ago, their lives have had to change. Jobs have been given up and plans put on hold. Their time together is now the most important thing they have. As the trip progresses however, their individual ideas for their future begin to collide. Secrets are uncovered, private plans unravel and their love for each other is tested like never before. Ultimately, they must confront the question of what it means to love one another in the face of Tusker’s irreparable illness.
This warm and tender drama is driven by the moving chemistry between Firth and Tucci and the pleasure of watching two consummate actors at the top of their careers who convey – mostly wordlessly – the emotional toll that comes with accepting mortality.
They are returning to the special places from their past. But as Sam and Tusker’s trip progresses and they are forced to confront the grave reality of their situation, rifts begin to emerge as they look at what the future may hold.
“I want to be remembered for who I was, and not for who I’m about to become”, cries Tusker.
Harry Macqueen’s melancholic but powerful tale of love and loss is brave, with dramatic scenes restrained and unexaggerated. The dialogues between Sam and Tusker are direct, despite addressing deep and complex themes such as life and death, past and future.
As the trip progresses, their individual ideas for their future begin to collide. Secrets are uncovered, private plans unravel and their love for each other is tested like never before. Ultimately, they must confront the question of what it means to love one another in the face of Tusker’s irreparable illness and the difficulty of saying goodbye.
In cinemas
Images courtesy of : STUDIO CANAL
