Tolkien

Movie Information

Tasteful writing and directing, plus Nicholas Hoult’s strong lead performance make this better than the average literary biopic.
Score:

Genre: Biopic/Drama
Director: Dome Karukoski
Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Lily Collins, Derek Jacobi
Rated: PG-13

A respectful portrait of the writer of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings as a young man, Tolkien doesn’t change the literary biopic game but stands apart from much of its competition as a well-made, honorable presentation of the author’s formative years.

The latest feature from Finnish director Dome Karukoski (Tom of Finland) also takes certain noncorny approaches regarding geniuses and their inspirations that more entries in this subgenre would be wise to follow, though the rarity of risks on display and the fairly tidy overall package in which Tolkien is wrapped unfortunately keeps the film firmly in safe cinematic territory.

Two years after playing J.D. Salinger in the insulting and unimaginative Rebel in the Rye, Nicholas Hoult finds a movie about an iconic fiction-penning, PTSD-suffering war veteran worthy of his talents.

Whether debating art and life with his three devoted school chums, endearing himself to love-interest Edith Bratt (Lily Collins, Mirror Mirror), or reflecting on his time with these cherished individuals during the Battle of the Somme, Hoult’s Tolkien is a deeply appealing figure and one for whom viewers wish nothing but success — perhaps to a fault.

Compensating for his lack of depth are the real-world experiences and emotions that will color Tolkien’s beloved fantasy stories, decrying the notion that creativity is rooted in a simple one-to-one correlation with autobiography.

Were the regal, no-fuss filmmaking willing to match the script’s daringness, Tolkien might be something truly special, but in its current form, it’s still well worth seeing.

Opens May 10 at the Fine Arts Theatre

SHARE
About Edwin Arnaudin
Edwin Arnaudin is a staff writer for Mountain Xpress. He also reviews films for ashevillemovies.com and is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association (SEFCA) and North Carolina Film Critics Association (NCFCA).

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.