Review of Empire of Light (2022) by Mauro_Lanari — 09 Feb 2023

(Mauro Lanari).

Olivia Colman is the female counterpart of Casey Affleck: if there are them, there must be a drama, more often a false drama. A big melodrama, from which Mendes never separated. He achieved his greater success with works in which political subtext and social overview were openly current, while in this case he starts from Thatcher, "Quadrophenia" (Roddam '79), the decadence of the British "Empire", unsolved but contextualized problems in a historical period that today is perceived as distant. A reflux of directors towards the autobiography and nostalgic cinephilia is taking place, that is towards the projection room which sheds light in the darkness, art as the last beacon of a civilization at sunset. Conceited? Probably yes, and the protagonists are also badly outlined, abstract, cerebral: Hilary is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, depression, schizophrenia, maybe instead it is simple SSDD ("same **** different day") and the remedy suggested by the film is still that of "Being There" (Ashby '79). Anyway her characterization is cloying, Mendes settles for the atmospheric and asks her for sex scenes that she herself believed "unnecessary to advance the plot".