Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci play lovers in Harry Macqueen’s touching and witty take on the horrors of early-onset dementia. Firth is always in the spotlight, but Tucci is often cast as a glittering foil. It’s great to see him here, smack bang in the middle of the story. He and his Gollum-ish ears belong there.
English pianist Sam (Firth) and American writer Tusker (Tucci), have been together for decades and now they’re taking a jolly trip to the Lake District in their camper van to see friends and family and watch the night sky. But both men are keeping secrets from each other. Tusker’s memory loss and confusion are becoming more pronounced. Can Sam protect Tusker from this horrible illness and will Tusker even allow him to try?
As the pair squabble and snuggle their way through the countryside, it’s genuinely hard to stifle tears. Tusker is hilarious. There’s a bit where the men talk into a little tape recorder. Tusker puts on a Radio-4-style, voice and drawls, “It’s Dementia Hour!” The character’s self-reflexive humour makes it all the more devastating when he’s suddenly lost for words. Who is he when he’s not being funny?
Another brilliant scene takes place at a big dinner party. Tusker is handed the pages of a speech, about Sam, that he’s obviously been working on for months. But he can’t read the words, so Sam has to deliver the them. Sam, essentially, has to deliver a love-letter to himself and his awkwardness, during this peculiar act of ventriloquism, is palpable. Meanwhile, Tusker smiles politely (and sometimes proudly) at the effect his eloquence is having on the assembled throng. Tusker’s not all there. But, thanks to Tucci’s performance, Tusker IS there.
Cinematographer Dick Pope brings out the fierce colours in the countryside, and the actors’ skin. In one especially traumatic moment, we become aware of the huge, all-but-yellow bags under Firth’s eyes. There’s a real sense of the toll illness takes on carers.
This film often reminded me of Love Is Strange, Ira Sachs’ wonderful film about a gay couple struggling to stay connected. If only Supernova’s ending wasn’t so neat. Without entering into spoiler territory, Tusker decides on a plan of action that feels more familiar than it should. But you need to see this movie. Just be aware that the script’s not as stellar as the leading men.
