Product: Gods and Monsters (1998)
Rating: 4.0
A sweet and sensitive film
Those who complain that the movie is slow have a point - you should watch it when you are in the mood for a character-driven rather than a plot-driven film. It is helpful though not strictly necessary to have at least a passing familiarity with Frankenstein and The Bride of Frankenstein - Whale's best known works are heavily used for metaphorical effect throughout. And an appreciation for good acting is a must.McKellen is excellent as a brilliant, proud man facing the deterioration of age and ill-health in a world where he is very much alone: even his loyal housekeeper of many years believes that he is going to Hell. His acting does much to prevent the movie from toppling over into melodrama (though a few scenes teeter on the edge.)My only real complaint with the film was that some of the minor characters included for comic effect seemed slightly heavy-handed, especially the young interviewer at the beginning. However, this is overall a very good movie about a man who is not remembered nearly as well as he should be.