At the start of the year, Empire of Light received quite a bit of publicity. Directed by the very reputable Sir Sam Mendes of Skyfall and 1917 fame, and starring the apparently infallible Olivia Colman and Colin Firth, it was both a love-letter to Eighties cinema and a reminder of Eighties racist violence.
With a few jokes and a bit of sex.
But then it all went a bit quiet. It was nominated for some awards – notably Roger Deakins’ cinematography – but not as many as you’d expect.
Photo: Searchlight Pictures
The fact is, Empire of Light’s title lets it down a bit. It’s never quite as triumphant or as ultimately feelgood as the name implies.
Set in coastal Margate, the film mostly takes place in a slightly rundown cinema, the Empire.
The manager is an unusually seedy Colin Firth, the projectionist is predictably Toby Jones, and the ticket and popcorn seller is Hilary, a rather muted Olivia Colman.
Hilary has clearly had mental health issues, though she assures her doctor she’s fine now.
She has friends – well, colleagues. And of course, creepy boss Firth is always keen to see her in private, so to speak.
One day new boy Steven is hired - young, black and personable. And against all odds, he and Hilary strike up a friendship.
Film fan Steven is shocked to discover that Hilary is usually too busy to see any of the movies she sells tickets for. But she does love to show off the faded glories of the Empire itself.
And Hilary is shocked in turn at the casual racism Steven has to put up with in Thatcher’s Margate.
Skinhead violence has flared up again, ironically at the same time as multi-racial ska bands like the Specials.
Empire of Light certainly looks several million bucks – particularly the red plush cinema interior. And stars Colman and newcomer Micheal Ward are fine. It’s just that the film is a little directionless.
It’s neither slow enough to be serious kitchen sink, nor quick enough to be a lively feelgood movie.
The story – a rare outing by Mendes as sole writer – seems at least semi-autobiographical. And the various elements hang together pleasantly rather than particularly dynamically.
The theme – such as it is – seems to be that sometimes escaping into the world of movies is a good thing to do.
Glancing at the posters festooning the Empire of, clearly, Mendes’ favourite films of the time – from Raging Bull and Raiders of the Lost Ark to Gregory’s Girl – it’s hard to resist all that nostalgia.
And also a nagging wish that this film were as good as those.
Empire of Light is a quiet Sunday afternoon pleasure rather than the sort of blockbuster Saturday night premiere, personified in this film by the mega hit Chariots of Fire, but it’s still often rather sweet.
Colman’s astonishingly mobile and expressive face is utilized to its best in a scene where she sees a half-forgotten Eighties classic – Peter Sellers’ finest moment, Being There.
Empire of Light may not deliver the Oscar punch that was possibly expected of it at the outset. But in a certain light, it elicits an unexpected twinkle.
