Joey Magidson
Even if you don’t know of the late actor Ian Charleson, Elsinore is going to make you shed a tear for him. Not only is this an account of Charleson and his quest to play Hamlet at the National Theater, it’s a look at where the AIDS crisis was in London during the late 1980s. The film lives and dies on the performance of Andrew Scott as Charleson, so it’s a good thing that he’s giving a towering turn here. World Premiering at the Telluride Film Festival, this is a good movie with an excellent central performance.
Elsinore has some small issues, which I’ll get to below, but it’s hard to overstate just how good Scott is, as well as how central that is to the flick working like it intends to. He’s in nearly every frame of the film, quite literally carrying it on his back. Not only will you have a deeper appreciation for Charleson, you’ll have one for Scott too.
For Ian Charleson (Scott), the stage was always his passion, even if most people knew the actor from his performance in Chariots of Fire. That never translated to the career he’d hoped for, and as a gay man living with HIV that had turned to AIDS, the clock was literally ticking. When Daniel Day-Lewis abruptly walked off the stage during a 1989 production of Hamlet, director Richard Eyre (Johnny Flynn) eyes Charleson for the job. He wants it and knows he can do it, but feels obligated to tell Richard about his condition, as well as the first lesion that has recently shown up on his body.
Determined to do the job, he’ll literally have to survive the process. To that end, he seeks out Dr. Margaret Johnson (Olivia Colman), a pioneer of HIV and AIDS treatment in the United Kingdom. She disapproves of the toll this will take on his body, but she helps Ian nonetheless. Supported by casting director best friend Patsy Pollock (Billie Piper), her daughter Alice (Sadie Soverall), and his frequent companion Sean (Matthew Beard), he not only has to deal with dying, but also revealing it all to his parents Jean (Georgie Glen) and Jack (Peter Mullan). Charleson will ultimately be able to put on a run of 24 performances in the role, putting into literal action the notion of quality of life over quantity.
Andrew Scott has never been better than he is here. He stuns not just as Ian Charleson but also when playing Hamlet. It’s a magnificent showcase, one he commits to with a towering turn. Scott could well be on his way to his first Oscar nomination…and perhaps more. Olivia Colman is reliably great as the no-nonsense doctor that’s eventually won over by this charismatic and determined man. The way her walls are broken down by the end is one of the cliched yet rousing triumphs of the movie. Johnny Flynn is very solid as the supportive director, who wants to protect the show, but also cares deeply for Charleson. Billie Piper is whirlwind of energy, while Georgie Glen and especially Peter Mullan will break your heart in their short time on the screen. Supporting players, in addition to Beard and Soverall, include a scene stealing turn from Monica Dolan.
Director Simon Stone and writer Stephen Beresford recognize that Andrew Scott is the feature here, so he’s properly showcased. Stone’s direction is a bit choppy, occasionally robbing the film of some of its power. Scott makes up for a lot of that, but there are moments where you do wish Stone would have a lighter touch. Beresford’s screenplay follows all of the expected avenues and leans into some cliches, but it’s done knowing that they work. The filmmaking is simply not on the level of Scott’s work, even if it’s solid enough writing and directing, overall.
There’s a distinct possibility that Andrew Scott will not just score his first Academy Award nomination here, but also win Best Actor. The Oscar win remains to be seen, given how early in the season we are, but he has more than got the goods. Scott could well fuel Elsinore to further nominations, though time will tell here.
Elsinore is just a good movie, though one that contains one of the best performances of the year. Scott alone makes this film a must see. Telluride is launching him directly into the awards race, that’s for sure. You’re likely going to shed a tear, so be prepared.
SCORE: ★★★
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