Redmayne is superb

Rating: 9/10 (24 July 2018)

Based on a true story: In 1920s Copenhagen, Einar Wegener (Eddie Redmayne) is a landscape artist and his wife Gerda (Alicia Vikander) is a portrait artist. When a female model is late to pose for Gerda, she asks Einar to temporarily replace her, partly dressed in women's clothes. This incident re-stimulates Einar's early desires to live as a female.
It is also notable that Einar's transition to Lili Elbe is one of the first known transgender incidents in history.
I'm sure my fellow movie buffs can recall times when a film was universally acclaimed and we just didn't see what any of the fuss is about. Sometimes, we even disliked the film. For me, the most glaring cases were probably "Lost in Translation" back in 2003 and "Life is Beautiful" in 1997.
"The Danish Girl" creates that rare situation in the opposite direction: a film that is universally rated as mediocre or disappointing; but one which I found superb. The naysayers at least agree that Redmayne and Vikander are great in their roles. More on that later.
I believe that director Tom Hooper (who helped raise "The King's Speech" to such a high level) deserves great credit for elevating the mood in this film to one of intensity mixed with beauty. There is much risk in expressing true identity at a time when the term "transgender" did not even exist. The deeper understanding of artists, among others, is on display with kindness and compassion. The beauty of cities like Copenhagen, Paris, and Dresden (with exquisite set designs, cinematography, and music) all contribute to keep the aesthetics of this film at the highest level.
But it truly is the acting that makes this film as great as it is. Redmayne's performance alone would have been adequate but Vikander's contribution is more than that of a supporting role. As an emerging artist and as a woman whose marriage is changing in ways that could never have been equaled at that time, Vikander brings great depth to Gerda as her love and support are unyielding during a very difficult and unusual time.
Redmayne is truly sensational in this film. This is not a surprise considering his turn in last year's "The Theory of Everything" for which he was rightly praised with multiple awards. In "Danish Girl", his depth goes even further as he boldly and courageously exposes the sensitivity of a unique and misunderstood soul. From the time he first reacts to wearing women's clothes, the movie is riveting as he easily conveys nuance in his facial expressions and takes great risks to be truthful and authentic.
As Charlize Theron did with "Monster", Redmanyne's sublime performance raises a fine film to an even greater level.
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT: Lead Performance by Eddie Redmayne