The film equivalent of a coffee table book about Lili Elbe

Rating: 3/10 (16 September 2015)

First the good: Alicia Vikander gives an excellent performance in a poorly written role. The music, when it's not loudly substituting for a decent script, is often lovely. And the historical context is illuminating, especially the very real danger of institutionalization. Other than that, what a mass of prestige picture clichés, laughably symmetrical camera set-ups and gorgeous landscape cinematography. And poor Eddie Redmayne. Completely out of his depth in the central role. Obviously, no one knows how well Lili Elbe passed for a woman, but no one, and I mean absolutely no one, would mistake Redmayne's Lili for anything else but an awkward, clumsy male in a bad wig. Granted, that would make an interesting take on this story: someone who believes they look like a woman but who doesn't. But that's not what this film proposes. Quite the opposite, which is why the audience consistently laughed every time the film suggested that Elbe herself, or other characters believed in the success of the transformation. The script is so cliché ridden and repetitious that even an actor as fine as Matthias Schoenaerts can't liven it up. And for some reason he is made up to look like a sweaty cadaver. And again,I felt bad for Mr. Redmayne, that he didn't get the directorial help he needed in the role and a better script that left him more to say than the trite and predictable lines in this one.