Review - Empire of Light
Directed by: Sam Mendes
Written by: Sam Mendes
Starring: Olivia Colman, Michael Ward, Colin Firth, Toby Jones, Tom Brooke, Tanya Moodie
Running Time: 113 minutes
Rating: 3/5
Nothing happens without light.
The most captivating scene in Sam Mendes’ Empire of Light is the opening credit sequence. I’m not saying this because the movie isn’t great, because that is definitely not the case (okay - well, it’s fine). The film opens with the faint notes of Trent Reznor’s stunning, emotional score, paired with a simple montage of the opening of a movie theatre. No dialogue. No fancy camera moves or lots of background action. The camera is still, capturing the light as the Empire opens in the darkness.
Set in a seaside resort town in the UK in the midst of the 1980s; Empire of Light is the story of Hilary Small (Olivia Colman), a quiet floor manager of the Empire cinema in town, who falls for the young Stephen (Michael Ward) who has joined her team. The film spans timelines as it weaves in and out of history; seasons pass, historical events unfold and the cinema marquee changes from The Blues Brothers to Raging Bull. At its core, Empire of Light is a love story between two very different people with two very different lives, brought together by *ahem* the power of cinema.
Shot by by impeccable Sir Roger Deakins, the film is excellent in its photography - there are scenes that are incredible to see on the big screen - even for a quiet film, the set pieces are beautiful, moving and serene. From a dazzling New Years Eve celebration to a film being projected in a cinema; Mendes and Deakins are in sync in their vision and imagery. Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross was also a surprise - their gentle score is ravishing, poignant and melancholy. The opening notes of the film harken back to Hand Covers Bruise from The Social Network. Beautiful and heartfelt.
“Colman’s portrayal of Hilary Small is at its most powerful at her most quiet. The faint crack of a smile, the batting of the eyelashes and the glance off frame. It feels like home. ”
Where the problem lies, is that the film feels like four different films at one time. There are so many different storylines that run through the course of this film that it feels extremely disjointed and unfocused. From the love story of Stephen and Hilary to the racial tensions of the UK to Hilary’s own deteriorating mental state; these elements could work succinctly under one banner and thematic threshold, but it never really flows together. It could be the pacing and editing but these narrative arcs all feel penciled in to heighten tension, but never really speak to each other, thematically. Colman is fantastic though, her descent into instability is profound and heartbreaking and a dark horse in the awards conversation. Colman’s mastery of language and linguistics is astonishing - the delivery of her lines is impactful and genuine; no flashy monologues or powerful speeches, Colman’s portrayal of Hilary Small is at its most powerful at her most quiet. The faint crack of a smile, the batting of the eyelashes and the glance off frame. It feels like home.
Empire of Light is inherently a deeply personal film for Sam Mendes; there is grace and beauty in its picture, but feels incomplete in its thematic structure. Colman, Deakins and Reznor/Ross elevate the film’s missteps and keep it afloat amidst its slightly convoluted journey. There is so much to say about love and the power of cinema, Empire of Light feels like it’s missing one last film reel.
