(spoiler free)
New romantic drama ‘Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool’ is based on the memoir of the same name written by Peter Turner about his relationship with actress Gloria Grahame in the final years of her life. Paul McGuigan directs with Annette Bening and Jamie Bell in the leading roles. The film follows Grahame’s move to Liverpool to pursue her stage career which is unfortunately cut short due to her degrading health.
The performances from the cast here are really great. Bening is fantastic in her complicated portrayal of the Oscar-winning actress Grahame. She has a lot of different aspects of her complex personality to convey but she does this with what looks like considerable ease. Bell is the best we’ve seen him in years, the more substantial role allows him the chance to really get stuck into his character and the film is always better for it. He demonstrates a real maturity in his acting ability and shares a wonderful chemistry with Bening which could have had the potential to be awkward. The supporting cast are similarly good. The film sees a ‘Billy Elliot’ reunion for Bell and Julie Walters. It’s no surprise that Walters is a good as ever here playing Bell’s on screen mother in a most likeable fashion. This is most definitely a film belonging to the two leads though and they rightfully receive almost all of the spotlight.
The story here is rather straightforward, focusing entirely on the romance between Peter and Gloria. It’s an intriguing romance to watch thanks to Gloria’s more unique personality, making sure that things never become boring despite the fact that the film is quite slow-moving. The story, and romance are told in an engaging manner though, going between the current time and flashbacks to the couples developing relationship over previous years. The editing employed to achieve this story telling method was impressive and allowed the story to flow with ease. Another element that naturally flowed through the story was emotion. It may surprise audiences who might not be particularly invested at the beginning of the film just how emotional the story becomes. This is testament to the careful development of the narrative and characters which becomes increasingly effective as the film progresses.
If you like your romance films, this unconventional love story could well be for you. ‘Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool’ boasts two brilliant lead performances with a small supporting cast who help connect the story and characters. It’s a well written piece, offering an engaging way of giving insight into this relationship for the audience. Concluding with a maybe unexpected emotional impact you may just surprise yourself at how invested you’ve become.
Written by Hamish Calvert
Rating – 8/10
Question: What is your favourite Jamie Bell performance?
(Leave your answers in the comments section below!)
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