Albert Nobbs (C+ or 2.5/4 stars)
The film I review now is 'Albert Nobbs' (directed by Rodrigo Garcia, produced by/written by/starring Glenn Close). Picture it: Dublin, 1898. The setting: Morrison's Hotel (run by a somewhat loathsome woman, played by Pauline Collins). Attention is paid to both the Upstairs and Downstairs staff. A veteran male servant has gone deaf. A doctor (Brendan Gleeson) has an affair with a head maid (Maria Doyle Kennedy, of The Tudors). The youngest maid on staff, Helen (Mia Wasikowska) gets pregnant by a nomadic worker (Aaron Johnson). An epidemic of typhoid fever wreaks havoc on the hotel. And call bell worker, Albert Nobbs (Close), goes about "his" business in a quiet, direct, no-nonsense manner; saving his pennies so he can fulfill his lifetime dream to open a tobacconist's shop.
What makes this film more intriguing than the write-up I provided is that Albert Nobbs is actually a woman. Terms like 'gender ambiguity' or 'lesbian' were not referred to. That someone might intentionally impersonate a member of the opposite sex was nearly unimaginable. But in this instance, Nobbs becomes MISTER Nobbs because it allows "him" a better employment opportunity. And if Nobbs wants his own shop, it would be beneficial for him to find a wife - that was the norm at the time. Yet, while Nobbs is able to woo Helen (Wasikowska), this is not approached as a lesbian relationship. In fact, Nobbs seems to lack any sexual drive, whatsoever. And it's as if his romance with Helen is merely an attempt to have a human connection with someone (who happens to be viable enough to marry).
Nobbs is a tragic character, really. Thing is, aside from one lengthy conversation he has with a fellow woman-posing-as-a-man, Hubert Page (played by Janet McTeer, of Tumbleweeds) ... we never really see below the surface of Nobbs' nervous fascade. Hubert says to Nobbs, "My God, you're a woman. What's your name?" Nobbs responds, "Albert". Hubert then says, "No, you're real name". Nobbs repeats, "... Albert". Living a male existence (for over 30 yrs.) is all she's ever-known. And sadly, his dream of owning a business is really only a pipe dream. Nobbs is naive, suppressed, repressed & socially awkward. Working in the hotel, he responds to call bells, nods his head, & fades into the background like the hotel's decorative wallpaper. He doesn't excel at anything. The poor fellow doesn't even realize that running a business would be nearly impossible. Hotel work is all 'he' knows.
Glenn Close is quite good as Nobbs. She SHOULD be! She's been trying to get the film made for 30 yrs. (when she 1st played him on stage). Close brings a real poignancy to this wounded "man". He wants a better life. He wants companionship. But he's crippled by the fear of someone finding out he's a she. So while he wants to break free & have his own life, he just doesn't know how to - even with the influence of Hubert (the other woman impersonating a man). Hubert (McTeer) is an outgoing, strapping, independent person. He can hold his own with anybody, while Nobbs always falls to the background; making it hard for him to make a name for himself as anybody (regardless of the gender). I liked Hubert Page's reason for pretending to be a man, and her admitting to loving another woman. Hubert turned 'his' adversity into an advantage; something that Nobbs could only dream of doing.
'Albert Nobbs' is not a great film, nor is it awful. It looks handsome (Oscar-winning craft pedigree). There's humor. There's insight. It's a genteel little passion project. But there's too much emphasis on the supporting players. The movie is solemnly paced (especially in the middle). The film's climax feels tonally off from the rest of the proceedings. And my biggest complaint is that while 'Albert Nobbs' makes for a stellar study in repression, Albert’s emotional blankness also makes him difficult to understand. We never get to the heart of Nobbs. She trapped herself in as man from an early age and couldn't quite shake it off. So I was actually more fascinated by Hubert Page. Hubert had the intriguing past. HE got married. HE faces tragedy. HE makes his own freedom. And judging by the final 2 minutes of the film, his life was going to continue to evolve & grow in interesting directions.
What makes this film more intriguing than the write-up I provided is that Albert Nobbs is actually a woman. Terms like 'gender ambiguity' or 'lesbian' were not referred to. That someone might intentionally impersonate a member of the opposite sex was nearly unimaginable. But in this instance, Nobbs becomes MISTER Nobbs because it allows "him" a better employment opportunity. And if Nobbs wants his own shop, it would be beneficial for him to find a wife - that was the norm at the time. Yet, while Nobbs is able to woo Helen (Wasikowska), this is not approached as a lesbian relationship. In fact, Nobbs seems to lack any sexual drive, whatsoever. And it's as if his romance with Helen is merely an attempt to have a human connection with someone (who happens to be viable enough to marry).
Nobbs is a tragic character, really. Thing is, aside from one lengthy conversation he has with a fellow woman-posing-as-a-man, Hubert Page (played by Janet McTeer, of Tumbleweeds) ... we never really see below the surface of Nobbs' nervous fascade. Hubert says to Nobbs, "My God, you're a woman. What's your name?" Nobbs responds, "Albert". Hubert then says, "No, you're real name". Nobbs repeats, "... Albert". Living a male existence (for over 30 yrs.) is all she's ever-known. And sadly, his dream of owning a business is really only a pipe dream. Nobbs is naive, suppressed, repressed & socially awkward. Working in the hotel, he responds to call bells, nods his head, & fades into the background like the hotel's decorative wallpaper. He doesn't excel at anything. The poor fellow doesn't even realize that running a business would be nearly impossible. Hotel work is all 'he' knows.
Glenn Close is quite good as Nobbs. She SHOULD be! She's been trying to get the film made for 30 yrs. (when she 1st played him on stage). Close brings a real poignancy to this wounded "man". He wants a better life. He wants companionship. But he's crippled by the fear of someone finding out he's a she. So while he wants to break free & have his own life, he just doesn't know how to - even with the influence of Hubert (the other woman impersonating a man). Hubert (McTeer) is an outgoing, strapping, independent person. He can hold his own with anybody, while Nobbs always falls to the background; making it hard for him to make a name for himself as anybody (regardless of the gender). I liked Hubert Page's reason for pretending to be a man, and her admitting to loving another woman. Hubert turned 'his' adversity into an advantage; something that Nobbs could only dream of doing.
'Albert Nobbs' is not a great film, nor is it awful. It looks handsome (Oscar-winning craft pedigree). There's humor. There's insight. It's a genteel little passion project. But there's too much emphasis on the supporting players. The movie is solemnly paced (especially in the middle). The film's climax feels tonally off from the rest of the proceedings. And my biggest complaint is that while 'Albert Nobbs' makes for a stellar study in repression, Albert’s emotional blankness also makes him difficult to understand. We never get to the heart of Nobbs. She trapped herself in as man from an early age and couldn't quite shake it off. So I was actually more fascinated by Hubert Page. Hubert had the intriguing past. HE got married. HE faces tragedy. HE makes his own freedom. And judging by the final 2 minutes of the film, his life was going to continue to evolve & grow in interesting directions.