Based on the life and career of British artist J. M. W. Turner, 'Mr. Turner' is Superbly Directed by Mike Leigh, but Inconsistently Written! And Timothy Spall is convincing in his portrayal of the late artist.
'Mr. Turner' Synopsis: An exploration of the last quarter century of the great, if eccentric, British painter J.M.W. Turner's life.
'Mr. Turner' does work, but only in parts. The biggest problem, however, with the film, is its running-time & its erratic Screenplay. The film goes on and on for nearly 150-minutes, and while Leigh's Screenplay is engaging in parts, but at times, it isn't. The second-hour doesn't work, although the culmination is nicely handled.
Leigh's Direction is the highpoint of the enterprise. No two options on that! His work here is Oscar-Worthy. I wish I could've said the same thing about his Screenplay. A Special Mention for the stunning Cinematography by Dick Pope. Editing is far from flawless. Art & Costume Design are excellent.
Performance-Wise: As mentioned before, Spall's portrayal of Mr. Turner, is convincing. Dorothy Atkinson is fantastic. Marion Bailey, also, is in terrific form. Paul Jesson has a brief role, but he leaves a mark, with a solid show.
On the whole, 'Mr. Turner' is a fairly good watch, but a better Screenplay would've made it great!
'Mr. Turner' Synopsis: An exploration of the last quarter century of the great, if eccentric, British painter J.M.W. Turner's life.
'Mr. Turner' does work, but only in parts. The biggest problem, however, with the film, is its running-time & its erratic Screenplay. The film goes on and on for nearly 150-minutes, and while Leigh's Screenplay is engaging in parts, but at times, it isn't. The second-hour doesn't work, although the culmination is nicely handled.
Leigh's Direction is the highpoint of the enterprise. No two options on that! His work here is Oscar-Worthy. I wish I could've said the same thing about his Screenplay. A Special Mention for the stunning Cinematography by Dick Pope. Editing is far from flawless. Art & Costume Design are excellent.
Performance-Wise: As mentioned before, Spall's portrayal of Mr. Turner, is convincing. Dorothy Atkinson is fantastic. Marion Bailey, also, is in terrific form. Paul Jesson has a brief role, but he leaves a mark, with a solid show.
On the whole, 'Mr. Turner' is a fairly good watch, but a better Screenplay would've made it great!