Empire of Lights

[Mummieslncorporated]

The reviews for this aren't great - but I really enjoyed it. You can't go wrong with Olivia Colman and Toby Jones!

Don't go expecting an action packed film. It's more of a meander, but I enjoy that kind of film when it's done well. (Much better than films that try to do too much and so end up doing nothing well). It's not short on drama though. It touches on big subjects, including racism and mental ill health, but leaves us with hope.

Worth a watch.

I saw this today and thoroughly enjoyed it even though it was a harrowing watch in places.

We’re just back from seeing it and both really enjoyed it, although not an easy watch in places.

I was quite surprised that the reviews weren’t better.

I just got back from watching it and absolutely loved it. It was way better than I expected. Olivia Coleman was really good in it.

I was really disappointed. I didn't believe in the central relationship between Hilary and Stephen, probably because Michael Ward and Olivia Colman had no chemistry. There was too much going on - loneliness, depression, racism - and nothing came together.

And apart from the 'manic' scenes, Olivia Colman was being Olivia Colman yet again.

My friend and I enjoyed it. We went because we read a very good review in the Guardian - so I don't think it was universally badly reviewed. We also got quite reminiscent about the period and remembering all the food and fashions. I didn't find it particularly harrowing. I can find Olivia Colman a bit cringe but I didn't in this film. She was a bit more muted as the role demanded.

I just saw it. I was disappointed. It had so many themes that I couldn't work out what the film was really about. It seemed to just loose a bit of steam somewhere along the line.

And Olivia Coleman was just being Olivia Coleman. In much the same way that Dawn French is always Dawn French. Toby Jones was fab. Colin Firth was there for no particular reason.

That's not my experience of the film. I thought there was really only one main theme, and Colin Firth's character was part of that. For me the theme was about change, about how things don't stay the same. (I know someone else will be able to describe that better).

But we see that both with the cinema as well as with the characters, including Colin Firth's character.

While I'm posting, I did believe the relationship because I've seen it before. An older woman entranced by a handsome younger man, and a younger man enjoying the experience of being with an older woman, but with little else really to bind them.

I've no idea what he saw in Hilary, who was a boring frump. I think it was a contrived way to bring in another 'issue'.

Anyone else startled at how old Colin Firth is looking in this film?

Anyone else startled at how old Colin Firth is looking in this film?

No. Have your seen the Curious case of Benjamin Button? Brad Pitt doesn't really look like that.. nor did Colin Firth.

I felt there were too many themes and they were trying too hard to pull them all together, which resulted in it being a bit disjointed. By the end of it I’d lost interest and didn’t really care what happened, I just wanted to get home!

Just seen it tonight and I was transfixed. I knew what was going to happen as soon as I saw the mopeds and skinheads.

I've supported people off their meds with schizophrenia. Really harrowing. It's terrible to witness. I loved how Stephen had the maturity to support her. She really played it well imo.

The way she was abused even though she was vulnerable was so awful but not uncommon. Luckily not so much nowadays.

I saw it yesterday, I loved it. I thought the acting was great and loved the old cars and vespas and the soundtrack. It made me laugh a lot, but was also very sad.

Loved it. Just my kind of film. I'm going to the cinema tomorrow and I'm half tempted to watch it again!

That was my feeling too. I felt like it tried to cover too much, and didn’t actually make much of a link to film. It seemed to not know when to end either.
It was a beautiful film though and the period details were spot on.
I would be interested to know where the avenue of trees are, that featured at the end of the film.

Meant to quote @LyndaSnellsSniff and @sammylady37 there 😬

I enjoyed it but It seemed to be a series of vignettes loosely threaded together with no overall story. I loved the cinematography and the music (although I was expecting more music of the actual time it was set in). I saw it in a small cinema in the south east and there was a lot of speculation going on around me as to where it was set!

I really enjoyed it and thought it was better than the sum of the reviews although maybe not quite as great as it could have been. Part of the appeal was knowing Margate quite well so enjoyed spotting where it was filmed