NEWS
EVENTS
Annette Bening shines in 'Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool' - a breathtaking love story
We had the chance to watch Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool at the London Film Festival and we were impressed.
Annette Bening is a brilliant and talented actress. She shines in all her roles starting from American Beauty to last year’s 20th Century Women. In Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool Bening doesn't disappoint, she plays real-life actress Gloria Grahame. The movie depicts the fascinating love affair between Gloria and her neighbour, a young actor from Liverpool played by Jaime Bell.
Director Paul McGuigan explores this human connection with a delicate and intriguing approach. We get to know how the couple fell for each other thanks to a goofy dance and we watch the evolution of their connection.
Gloria is so different from Peter Turner, she has been married three times and has a twenty year old son. Still, their affection feels real. Bell and Bening's sizzling chemistry on screen delivers a convincing performance that will easily drive you through two hours of the picture, with ease.
Bell's strong and moving performance only adds to the movie, and fans of his breakout role Billy Elliot will be delighted to see the actor get his dancing shoes on again, I know I was!
The soundtrack and the cinematography are also spot-on. The movie has the right vibe and doesn’t add any element that doesn't need to be there. Bening’s interpretation is authentic as she masterfully exposes all of her character’s frailties and fears.
However, the story doesn’t catch your attention for its originality, similar to the movie My Week with Marylin. At times Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool seemed a little bit too cheesy or even predictable but it’s still based on true life events. And life is not always so original.
The ending closes the movie perfectly, it’s a poignant and strong moment that will leave you breathless thanks to Bening’s brilliance.
With a different cast, the result could have been way worse. In the end, the story of Gloria Grahame and Peter is meaningfully transposed on-screen and with actors like Bening & Bell Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool is a movie you don’t want to miss.
Have a look at the trailer below:
