Mr. Turner
Dir: Mike Leigh
2014
*****
Mr. Turner represents Mike Leigh's third big period drama and his biggest since 1999's Topsy-Turvy. It is remarkably accurate but only concentrates on the man himself from midlife to death rather than his painting techniques and childhood although both are covered in one way or another albeit fleetingly. As you'd expect from Leigh, this isn't your typical Hollywood biopic ("Given the choice of Hollywood or poking steel pins in my eyes, I'd prefer steel pins"). True to his word, style doesn't become a substitute for truth and reality. I've heard many criticise the film for the most ridiculous of reasons, Timothy Spall's grunting for instance, maybe they would have preferred Tom Cruise to portray Turner without his breathing problems, personally I like the realism. Leigh also includes many of Turner's contemporaries which is one of the films key strengths as, apart from being fasinating and educational, Leigh is good with people. The story of poor old Benjamin Haydon is one of the best examples of this, his diaries being an obvious source. The John Constable encounter was also thrilling cinema. It's the little things that make Mr. Turner so wonderful, the scene whereby his maid clears blue bottles from the drapes while Turner clumsily tries to sell some of his painting being my favorite. Above all though, the script is easily one of the best I've heard for quite some time. No word is wasted or misused from the very begging to Turner's famous last words. All biopics should be directed by Leigh from now on.