Supernova

This is described as a romantic drama, but I can’t really agree. Written and directed by Harry Macqueen, this cracking film is so much more.

Staring the ever brilliant messers Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci as Sam and Tusker, we are taken on a journey not just across England and the Lake District, but one through the emotions too.

Sam (Firth) and Tusker (Tucci) are a couple of 20+ years. Sam is a musician and Tusker is a writer. They’re on a sort of tour of their favorite places and to visit friends as Tusker has been diagnosed with dementia. We get little hints at Tuskers condition along the way, but the severity of it is revealed when Sam finds a recording made by Tusker which is effectively his suicide note, Sam also finds a bottle of medicine which Tusker is planning to take to bring his time to an end.

Watching Sam and Tusker both make their cases is sad and you do find yourself agreeing with both. Firth absolutely nails the grieving man who doesn’t want to lose his partner, but doesn’t want to see him suffer either and it does make the viewer ask the same question….

What would you do?

This film came out around the same time as The Father, starring Anthony Hopkins and it’s a great companion piece. Where The Father tells a story of dementia from the patients point of view, this film tells a story from those around the patient. Though watching them back to back might be a bit too much to handle in one sitting!!

One question I saw asked of this film was why make our two main characters gay? What does it bring to the story?

I think the answer is simple, it makes the tragedy all the worse. Firth and Tucci are both in their 60’s now and you have to assume their characters here are too. Sam and Tusker have been together a long time and there is the point. They will have lived and loved through a time when being gay wasn’t as acceptable as it is now. They will have had to fight to be together at some point, more than once for sure. Here is the tragedy, that despite all the things they have been through, all the battles they’ve had and lost and won, none of it makes any difference to their situation here. All that is left is to wait and let it happen.

It’s a genius idea by Macqueen that is executed beautifully by Firth and Tucci.

An all round brilliant film, definitely recommended.