Starring: Colin Firth, Stanley Tucci, Pippa Haywood, Peter MacQueen
Distributor: Madman Films
Runtime: 95 mins. Reviewed in Apr 2021
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The supernova can serve as a bright metaphor for human life. As we see in the opening credits, gazing at the stars in the sky, gradually multiplying and multiplying, bright stars, and a supernova at the centre, flaring vividly, then disappearing, dying.
So, the image is used for one of the two central characters of this two-handed drama, the story of the final stages of a long-term relationship between the men, Sam (Firth) and Tusker (Tucci). Each of them in their own way have publicly had their moments of brightness – Tusker as a published novelist, Sam as a concert pianist. Now, Tusker is terminally ill.
Basically, the framework of the narrative is a road trip. And an opportunity to visit the range of vistas in the English countryside, the roads, the fields, the mountains, and visits to country homes. Tusker has organised the itinerary. Sam does the practical work, packing, driving, shopping. And the immediate destination is the family home of Sam’s sister, a stopover on the road trip.
Firth is always a strong and reliable screen presence. Tall and strong, he seems to tower over his co-star, Tucci’s Tusker. The point of the road trip is that Tusker has been diagnosed with the onset of dementia, which is gradually taking over. You see the difficulties in memory, confusion in physical coordination, the inability to write or do up shirt buttons. And, he can be cantankerous, even with Sam, despite their decades of being together.
One of the main issues is the depiction of the onset of dementia, the gradual physical manifestations, the psychological manifestations, difficulties in communication, depression and the consequences, even to the consideration of suicide. The screenplay raises the issues of palliative care and a vast range of personal considerations, even the reasons for taking one’s own life.
The other issue is the role and responsibilities of the carer, and a lifetime of love which motivates the caring, prepared to look after the partner whatever the gradual and long-term deterioration.
Which means that there are some moving and challenging conversations throughout the film between the two men. When they stop at Sam’s sister’s house, there are further discussions, especially during a surprise party with long-time relatives and friends being supportive and caring.
There is also a musical motif throughout the film, excerpts from quite a number of songs, but the playing of a piano piece by Edward Elgar, culminating in the public performance by Sam in a concert.
Films such as Supernova raise for the audience the realities of the onset of dementia, the consequences for the person concerned, for relatives and friends, and for the moral choices to be made.
A helpful reference on dementia is the film, released at the same time, The Father, with a powerful performance by Anthony Hopkins bewildered by his experience of dementia.
Peter Malone MSC
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