Why didn't this movie get the attention it deserves?

Rating: 9/10 (31 March 2019)

Let's get to it confidently and frankly. We're in the age of political correctness, and many people find it difficult to adjust to new terms. This movie was released 4 years before the sensitivity of today's political correctness. I could only say that this movie was released a few years too soon.
Having said that, about the story itself, it goes back to 1926. Just try and imagine how was the public approach to this sensitive topic back then. So, before continuing reading this, this movie is about a very delicate topic and inspired by a true story. The first transgender goes through with a complex surgery of gender transformation. So, if this is not something you are comfortable with, do not watch this movie. Or, have a very open view about it.
Warning: It's really hard to talk about this movie without mentioning "spoiling" scenes. So please, try and don't read what's *between stars*. And if you're the type of person who enjoys reading a complete review before watching a movie ignore the said warning.
To me, this is a brilliant movie, and I can see that it might not be a popular one. Everything in this movie is a part of the story, and what is a movie but an audiovisual story? From the first scene, one can realize multiple introducing elements about "Einar" and "Gerda".
Einar is the masterful observant painter, and quite a perfectionist, one might even say obsessive. Einar and Gerda are not just in love or just husband and wife; they're best friends. Einar's fondness of women's fabrique is easily shown in "his" touches and gasps that comes with them. *Notice the way Einar's face changes when sensing the texture that reminds "him" of her true self*. Einar's perfectionism depicted in many scenes, *painting a landscape over and over to find the right color for the snow, or fixing Gerda's lipstick*, might in fact be the reason that leads her to be as courageous, intrepid and hopeful towards one of the hardest struggles of her life; find herself. Eddie Redmayne has done a perfect job bringing both Einar and Lili to life, to the point that you may get confused as if Eddie went through with this just as her character did. And you may wonder, why didn't he win the Oscar? You can know all about that, asking for a Mr. Leonardo Di Caprio's The Revenant.
Gerda is the boss, she's in control both in work and personal relationships. She has a dominant presence and controls her surroundings. Well-deserved Oscar winner Alicia Vikander shows a magnificent talent to realize Gerda. Gerda is in love, and she's in control. *Yet, her dilemma begins when she sees Lili kissing Hans. That's when she understands this has gone too far; she has lost control*.
*My appreciation for the heartbreak Lili has when she realizes Hans knows the "real" person in women's disguise, and he likes Einar and not her is very difficult for me to describe. What is emphasized also later that Hans is a homosexual*. Here is the only reason I deducted a point from the perfection; there could have been more discussions about sexuality in this movie. I figured the topic is complicated enough that Hooper, the director, may have intentionally dismissed it.
Costume design and set decorations are incredible in this movie, displaying Copenhagen, Paris, and Dresden, railway stations and hospitals are meticulously perfected. If it hadn't been for the academy's great deal of appreciation for Mad Max: Fury Road, The Danish Girl could have won these two recognitions as well.
Acting in this movie is fantastic. Landscapes, and most of the dialogues too. *Goosebumps, even behind my neck, when Lili asks for a night dress, rejected by "Lili never stays the night", responding "doesn't matter what I wear, when I dream, it's Lily's dreams" *; this is probably my favorite scene.
This is a very important story to be told, and Hooper did a good job doing it. if, as some critiques wrote, this movie was such a mainstream one, the ratings would be at least as good as action movies. Clearly, there is many biased opinions about this movie, just as there is a lot of hatred towards the transgender community. Remember what's said: "haters gonna hate".