Tolkien’s estate has disowned the film, a strange choice given its homage to the man and his creative talents. Karukoski’s movie is a love letter to a creative genius, and while it won’t win any awards, its performances and cinematography shine.
Dome Karukoski’s portrait of JRR Tolkien’s (Nicholas Hoult) life provides a warm, emotional and well-constructed biopic of a literary legend while honouring a man who never succumbed to the trappings of fame or celebrity. With solid performances and beautifully rich cinematography, Karukoski (Tom of Finland) dovetails Tolkien’s emerging fantasy world with the realities of pre-First World War Britain.
There is an inherent risk when recounting the life of literary figures such as Tolkien, which leads to an emphasis on loose narratives that fail to explore the true nature of creative genius. Tolkien, at times, falls into this trap, seeking to link too many of his early experiences with the eventual creation of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. However, despite these flaws, the film does excel in exploring youth and learning against the backdrop of a devastating war. Here, the violent loss of innocence and creativity during the war is dovetailed with the artistic impulse to translate those experiences into literary form.
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Set against the backdrop of the Somme in 1916, the film takes us on a journey through Tolkien’s early adolescence and formative years of study via flashbacks. These explore the loss of his mother at a young age, his foster placement through the Catholic Church, his eventual study at King Edward’s School in Birmingham, and a series of long-lasting friendships that would ultimately change him forever. However, while Tolkien excels at exploring male friendship and bonding and at embracing the power of youth and creativity, there is little space for female characters to thrive, despite the importance of his first love and wife, Edith (Lily Collins). The prevailing sense of class as a driver for achievement and opportunity is equally problematic.
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Despite these weaknesses, performances are strong throughout. Nicholas Hoult, Lily Collins, Patrick Gibson, Anthony Boyle and Tom Glynn-Carney offer heartfelt character studies exploring the nature of male love and friendship. Equally, Tolkien shines in the beautiful cinematography of Lasse Frank Johannessen, who delivers rich, deep colours that glow with authenticity and imagination. Tolkien’s estate has disowned the film, a strange choice given its homage to the man and his creative talents. Karukoski’s movie is a love letter to a creative genius, and while it won’t win any awards, its performances and cinematography shine.
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