Empire of Light
Empire Of Light, is an understated, 1980s-set drama set in a creaking old seaside cinema, with a snapshot of Thatcher’s racially charged Britain. When we meet Hilary, she is a listless cinema worker engaging in an unromantic affair with the manager (played by Colin Firth). It slowly emerges that Hilary has had a history of mental health issues and moves through the world on antidepressants. It’s another soul-shattering performance from Colman, where you can feel the buttons being pushed. As Hilary's health dominated proceedings, Stephen injects some light into Hilary’s bleak existence.
The cinematography from award-winning Roger Deakins and the gorgeous production design summon a very specific time and place, one that will be instantly familiar to British people of a certain age. The film finds a strange beauty in bleakness, especially in the cinema itself.
This is a lovely, heart-warming piece, with performances that off the scale. The score perfectly complements the drama. I got quite swept-up with this evocative, gorgeously staged film.
The film is currently on general release.
