Empire of Light

Empire of Light

A love story set in and around an old cinema on the South Coast of England in the 1980s.

  • Released: 2022-11-12
  • Runtime: 115 minutes
  • Genre: Drama, Romance
  • Stars: Olivia Colman, Colin Firth, Tanya Moodie, Hannah Onslow, Crystal Clarke, Sara Stewart, Adrian McLoughlin, Spike Leighton, Ashleigh Reynolds, Mark Goldthorp, Dylan Blore, Eliza Glock, Tim Samuels, Jamie Whitlow, Dougie Boyall, D.J. Bailey, George Whitehead
  • Director: Sam Mendes
 Comments
  • glenaobrien - 19 February 2024
    The magic of 24 frames per second
    Sam Mendes follows up his epic war film 1917 (2019) with a much smaller scale and very personal story. Set in the English seaside town of Margate in the 1980s, it draws on Mendes' own experience of growing up with a mother who struggled with mental illness. It invokes the ska music, Mod revival, and skinhead violence of Thatcher's England in an effective and nostalgic way. Olivia Colman gives a stunning performance as usual (as cinema floor manager Hilary). Michael Ward gives good support as Stephen, as do Colin Firth (playing a despicable character for a change) and Toby Jones as world-weary projectionist, Norman. The magnificent period cinema is almost a third character in the film, and through the film is set among cinema workers, it doesn't really highlight the magic of cinema until the very end. Hilary has spent years ensuring that patrons had a good experience at the movies but never herself sat and enjoyed a movie. After returning to work from another breakdown, she finally allows herself to sit in the darkened cinema and watch a film lovingly chosen by Norman. The film (which I won't mention here to avoid a spoiler) speaks directly to her, giving her hope to move beyond her pain and loss. It's a touching tribute to the power of film and an insight into Mendes' own relationship to his art. At one point, projectionist Norman explains to Stephen that there is a flaw in our optic nerve that tricks us into thinking. We are seeing movement when we view still images at the rate of 24 frames per second. Thank God for that illusion, which allows us to see life from new angles, helping us find our way home.
  • marwa-44571 - 31 August 2023
    the most lovely film for me at 2022
    One of the most lovely films ever at 2022.

    I really liked it and wondered why it did not won any one of the Oscars this year , I loved the story , the directing , the color mode , every this is amazing it has the all elements of being great film , the 2 main actors and the whole actors by the way are amazing its piece of art the music also is very unique.

    Olivia Colman is really one of the best actress for me this year.

    Its just received a nomination for Best Cinematography at the 95th Academy Awards but it really deserve more on my opinion.

    At the end of the film i really hope to go one day to "Empire Cinema"
  • Horst_In_Translation - 10 May 2023
    Not as touching or creative as it claims to be, but still an alright watch
    "Empire of Light" is a new movie in the English language that is a co-production between the Uk and America and the British aspect in here lies mostly in the fact that the writer and director is Sam Mendes who will turn 60 in a little over two years. Mendes is of course an Oscar winner for directing "American Beauty", but he was probably not too far away from a second win with the recent "1917", a movie I really liked. What was equally interesting about that one is that it was his very first screenwriting credit and there he collaborated with a young Scottish writer and seems like he really got in the groove as with his newest movie here, he took care of the writing on his own and this one went on for slightly under two hours. The running time felt right for me, would not have cut a lot. Mendes is by far not the only Oscar winner working on this project. There are two in the cast alone, namely lead actress Olivia Colman and supporting actor Colin Firth, but before I get to the cast, I must also mention cinematographer Roger Deakins. This man is an icon in his branch of course, a true legend from the industry and if the film had already not managed anything big at the Oscars, Deakins is one to always rely on and he scored another Oscar nomination. In general, this film did only get a lukewarm reception. Critics seemed to have some issues with it and also general audiences were not totally digging it. The room was fairly packed though when I went and I had a feeling that the majority of viewers there enjoyed it. More than I did, even if I still liked the outcome. I would just not say it is a great movie, just somewhere between solid and good.

    Colman is of course a natural actress and she has that thing going for her that it is always easy to identify yourself with her characters because she is not a Hollywood beauty. Firth was easy to hate here and I am sure nobody in the audience was sad that he was gone in the end. The male lead is Micheal Ward. I assume he was alright, but nothing special. He already won that BAFTA Rising Star Award a few years ago, and the talent implied with this win I did not see in him. Colman was carrying the film for the most part. Her best scene was for me the moment when these folks were entering her apartment. She does almost nothing physically there as she is sitting on the chair, but at the same time does so much with her eyes and reactions. The opposite of this really good scene, however, was the one in the sand when her character has this meltdown about men telling her what to do. I am not sure if the writing was the issue there or the way Colman portrayed that scene, but it was painful to watch and with that I do not mean that I was feeling her humiliation, but painful in the sense of this perhaps being the weakest scene of the movie. Toby Jones is a pretty likable actor and it was nice how his character warmed up to the male protagonist and let him in the projection room soon, but there I must also mention a con. The depth they were giving or rather trying to give him towards the end when we find out what happened or did not happen between him and his son was not a success. So yeah, there are a few scenes that did not win me over and this is why I cannot give the film a higher rating. This also applies to the moment in which the two protagonists are basically breaking up or rather he is rather up with her. This came also out of nowhere. I am sure it is easy to come up with valid explanations overall why the man was behaving like that and that it may have had to do with the pressure from his general situation, the racist tensions going on outside, but the most obvious explanation is that he did not love her enough, maybe was indeed a bit ashamed of her. I mean we understand that his mother in the end does not really know what happened between the two, so he never told her about Colman's character and there also would have been the possibility to turn him into an unlikable antagonist, but yeah this route would have been more likely if they had selected a White actor for the role. Sadly, this is how far times have changed already now.

    Anyway, I just mentioned the racial tensions and I would say this aspect did not add anything here. It did not make the film better or worse, this could have been excluded and nothing would have been lost. I am talking about the scene in which the boy is bullied by those skinheads before the cops show up, but the cops also do not really do anything and the second scene is of course the dramatic escalation towards the end already when we see how the male protagonist gets injured really bad. A hospital visit from the female protagonist follows and the two keep bonding more. I personally feel the film should have ended the moment when Colman's character is back at the movie theater watching the Sellers film all and being really touched by it. As I am somebody who really watches many movies, I was thinking there for a moment what it is like for people who work at a movie theater and if they also watch films here and there or if being in touch with them on a daily basis ruins the magic. I hope not, probably differs. But yeah, Mendes was really eager to do more and provide some closure as the two are about to be separated when the man will move somewhere else as he finally got accepted into university. Of course, there's the words that they will stay in touch, maybe see each other during the holidays, but you never know, especially with him (and maybe also her) moving forward and finding other significant others. Seems as if the romantic relationship between the guy and the barista or what she was is also over with him moving away now. In general, I feel that this film could have needed some more and better attention to detail. It is very showy at times, not only during the scene when the Black man is injured, but it comes short in the subtlety department and this is something where Mendes delivered so well with his recent war film and the difference there makes me think that it was maybe mostly thanks to his co-writer there how well the film turned out. Maybe he should get one again for his next project(s).

    What definitely stays in mind here is the aforementioned Roger Deakins. He does exactly what Mendes can't here, namely make a little movie theater at the British southern seaside a place where you would want to be and this is really no big and spectacular film where Deakins could blow us away. But he has the necessary touch and subtlety to turn it into something sublime at times nonetheless. This also applies to the shots inside the movie theater. I just wanted to go there. Be a guest on the occasion of this premiere of "Chariots of Fire", a film I am also still looking forward to for sure. I would have gone without a doubt, no matter if Paul McCartney is there or not. Never been the biggest Beatles fan anyway. Anyway, what else can I say about this one here. I think there was potential for more. Sometimes it is a pretty good film, sometimes it does feel a bit shallow. The escalation scene of Colman's character during this spectacular premiere is something where I am also a bit undecided on. This was Firth's last scene then. Tom Brooke's character, before that just a simple worker at the movie theater like everybody else, takes over and runs the place then and he is a much more likable fella. I actually enjoyed his performance quite a bit. Cool character as well and he understands exactly what is happening at the theater in terms of romance and sexuality. The moment in which he answers the question of Firth's character's wife was pretty memorable from a dramatic perspective and the moment in which he understands what the two protagonists had been doing was interesting from a comedic perspective. Really nicely-acted there from the man. There is more I can talk about like the pigeon scene which may symbolize their romantic relationship and how they are both aching, but the moment the pigeon (or dove) is fine and healthy again, it is also the moment when they both must out of the theater into the real world and find partners there.

    It will surely take a bit longer for Colman's character as Firth's of course had no respect for her the moment she stopped doing him sexual favors and all his words about an alleged tender and emotional connection were merely an illusion. No big surprise there at all if you already look at how he reacts when she on one occasion refuses to come to his room. What an unlikable character. You have to give Firth props there, he was one of the best aspects from the film I'd say. Another moment that stayed a bit in the mind for me was when the female protagonist was sitting there on a bench a little while after the escalation at the big event and the male protagonist passes by and sees her and initially keeps walking, but then changes his mind and goes back and the two have a talk. This was nice, also sad in a touching way how she was sitting there. On a more positive note, the film really delivers some solid emotional depth towards the end when Colman's character is back at work at the place she loves, with the people she adores and they clearly like her too. This was sweet there and made it probably easier to stomach that the man would be leaving too, for those that had a sad reaction because of this twist. I must say I did not really because I did not like Ward's character too much, definitely not as much as it was intended by Mendes. He was written in a too stereotypical manner for my taste, also in terms of the references to his ability as a lover or how he will still fight back when being attacked by the angry mob, even if he is one and they are ten or so. So yeah, weaknesses and strengths with this film, but it is good enough for a positive recommendation. The defining take on movie magic it is not, however, but it is on par with Spielberg's most recent and at least this one here is not equally overrated. Thumbs up.
  • lukerandall - 9 January 2023
    What a beautiful film!
    Sam Mendes is such an incredible Director, Empire of Light is a rollercoaster of emotions.

    Olivia Colman gives such a fantastic performance throughout, alongside Michael Ward.. was great to see him getting a shot at a big film can't wait to see what else he has to offer in the future!

    The other cast members were great as well.

    The whole film is filmed with amazing shots and beautiful colours!

    Well worth a watch in the cinema.

    Olivia Colman could have easily received an Oscar nomination for her performance (even though the category is already filled with excellent performances)

    The pairs chemistry was unexpectedly one of the best parts of the movie!
  • monberger - 16 December 2022
    Lovely film!!!
    Sam Mendes's film "Empire of Light" will leave you fully satisfied, and when the credits roll, you will wow by such an enjoyable film. A character depiction of an ordinary woman unexpectedly involved in a relationship while dealing with mental illness and social/racial issues of 1980s England. It is a lovely film with masterful performances. Olivia Colman has never been better; she has demonstrated once again she is such a fine actress. For sure, and I hope she is nominated and wins the Oscar for her performance. Mendes's direction is perfect, and he has created a lovely and satisfying film. Not sure why this movie had such bad reviews from the critics. Did I see the same film? Mendes is one of my favorite directors; he has created another great movie. For sure, "Empire of Light" is on my list as one of the best films of 2022.
  • ferguson-6 - 8 December 2022
    movie magic and Olivia C
    Greetings again from the darkness. Writer-director Sam Mendes won an Oscar for AMERICAN BEAUTY (1999), and has directed other popular movies, including ROAD TO PERDITION (2002) and a couple of James Bond films: SPECTRE (2015) and SKYFALL (2012). This is his first movie since the 3-Oscar winning war film 1917 (2019), and it's a project that seems designed for Mendes to proclaim his love of movies and belief in movie magic. However, a funny thing happened on the way to movie magic ... a movie about mental health, racism, and the Margaret Thatcher era broke out.

    By now we've all realized that a movie starring Olivia Colman (Oscar winner for THE FAVOURITE, 2018) features at least one outstanding performance. Here, she delivers as Hilary, a theater manager who doesn't watch movies, and is in therapy for some type of breakdown that occurred over the past year. Her smile for the customers isn't always able to hide her depression and mood swings - and neither are the 'quickie' meetings the married theater owner, Mr. Ellis (Oscar winner Colin Firth, THE KING'S SPEECH, 2010), calls when the urge strikes. Her vulnerability and solitude are on full display.

    The closeness of the theater staff is evident by the time new employee, Stephen (Michael Ward), shows up. He brings a spark, along with an ambition for advanced education, and he and Hilary hit it off immediately. Romance blossoms between the odd couple, and we soon learn Stephen has grown accustomed to facing racism, while Hilary seems oblivious to such things happening in the world. Empire Cinema is located on the seaside boardwalk, and the plush lobby is coated in heavy red velvet and adorned with sparkling brass fixtures. The timeframe is evident from the theater's movie posters: BLUES BROTHERS, ALL THAT JAZZ, STIR CRAZY, etc.

    The closed off screens 3 and 4 and the upper-level abandoned ballroom act as the rendezvous spot for Hilary and Stephen, while fireworks and a New Year's rooftop kiss bring joy and excitement into Hilary's life. The always interesting Toby Jones plays old school projectionist Norman, and he helps explain the second meaning of the film's title when he describes the beam of light that flashes through the 24 frames/second of film. He terms that beam of light an "escape", which is how so many view the movies.

    Hilary's history of schizophrenia and depression and lithium treatment mean that smooth sailing will not last for her. A street riot spills over into the theater and the scene shifts to the local hospital, where another character is introduced - one that might have added quite a bit to the story if expanded. Mendes chooses an odd approach to paying tribute to cinema, even when Hilary does finally realize the magic in a scene that recalls CINEMA PARADISO (although Hal Ashby's gem BEING THERE is what she watches). Cinematographer extraordinaire and two-time Oscar winner Roger Deakins proves yet again how his work can elevate a film, as does the score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (the Oscar winning composers).

    Mendes chooses a restrained presentation, and though many of us believe in that feeling of elation associated with movies, no one believes movie magic is a cure for anything as serious as mental illness or racism. There are some terrific individual scenes that work better than the movie as a whole, but it's unclear whether the film needed to be shorter, longer, or just better constructed.

    Opens in theaters on December 9, 2022.