It's a man's world, sort of

            Hey guys, I’m your lovable online movie critic with an opinion, TheCinemaChick and I’m about to start on my second review of the day.  Now, I’m having a little reservation with this review because once again, it might offend people.  It has nothing to do with what I plan to say, rather with the nature of the movie.  While A Dangerous Method was all about sexuality, Albert Nobbs dealt with sexual issues.  There is a major theme of gender roles, homosexuality, and transgender and cross dressing.

            I am going to spoil the movie a bit for everyone because there is so much to discuss. 

            The movie takes place in Ireland, where Albert Nobbs, the titular character resides and works in a hotel.  Glenn Close plays the lead, where she is unrecognizable.  For the sake of keeping things straight, when I refer to Close, I will use the masculine pronoun.  He has been dressing as a man for over thirty years so he truly believes he is one.  No one else even suspects that Albert Nobbs is a woman.  He lives a simple life, works during the day and counts his money at night.  Most people see him to be a quiet, strange man.

            I can honestly say there isn’t anything in here most people would enjoy.  It’s hushed; the colors are subtle except during dream sequences but it’s a very emotional, powerful movie.  The more I watched, the more I began to feel things for Albert.  When he got sick, I became worried.  When it was obvious the younger maid was using him for money, I wanted to yell and tell him to leave her.  It’s not a happy film and it might just leave you depressed

            There are some notable actors in here.  Mark Williams plays one of the butlers who works in the hotel.  He is probably better known as Arthur Weasley from the Harry Potter series.  Brendan Gleeson also shows up in the movie as the lecherous Dr. Holloran.  Again, he was in the Harry Potter films, playing Mad Eye Moody.  Jonathan Rhys Meyers has a very small role in the film, which is almost more like a cameo that an actually role.  And of course, there is a love interest played by Mia Wasikowska, who is famous for playing Alice in the Tim Burton remake of Alice in Wonderland.

            I’ll admit, the cast was superb especially, Janet McTeer.  She plays Hubert Page, the only other character in the film who can relate to Albert in any way.  Page is the only character who can do this because he is actually the same.  Like Albert, Hubert is also a woman dressed as a man.  The two form a close friendship which ultimately leads to tragedy.  Typhoid sweeps through Dublin and claims several lives.  While Nobbs is stricken with the disease, he makes a full recovery.

            Albert then begins to believe it is time for him to take a wife and he sets his eyes on the young maid Helen, played by Wasikowska.  Helen, however, is shacking up with Joe (Aaron Johnson) and is actually carrying his child.  Things get complicated as Albert falls for her, wanting to share his dreams with her.  Sadly, she does not share the same dream and finally decides to leave him.  What Albert never knew was that Joe was telling her to use him in order to get money for them so they could leave Ireland for America.

            Ok, so the plot isn’t exactly thrilling and exciting.  It’s not particularly intense nor is there a lot of scenes that’ll get you blood pumping.  Instead, it relies heavily on character development.  By the time the credits roll, you know everything about Albert, Hubert, Helen and Joe.  The story of why Albert chose to live as a man is heartbreaking and when Hubert has to deal with his wife Cathleen’s death, you really feel sorry for him.  The movie knows exactly how to play with your emotion, then manipulate them so you feel everything Albert goes through.

            I can see how this movie earned its multiple award nominations.  It’s made the race for Best Actress impossible to call.  Best Makeup will also be a tough one to predict because the movies nominated are all very good.

            I seriously think people should go out and watch Albert Nobbs.  It’s one of the best movies out there and it succeeds in doing something many other films cannot seem to do.  It tells a story.  Most films now are about entertainment at the expense of a decent plot or even a good tale.  Albert Nobbs manages to create a character that is relatable and sympathetic.

            Let’s face it.  At some point in our lives, we’ve all stopped and wondered the same things.  “Who am I?”  “Why am I here?”  “What is my purpose?” and “Will I ever be happy?”  Those are things I ponder on a daily basis.  We’ve all been in a room full of people and felt completely alone.  I’m not the only person who’s looked at their life and wondered if my own dreams were too far from my reach.  Albert Nobbs could be anyone, which is why the movie is so good.  Ok, maybe we’re not all crossdressers living in Ireland, but the search for self is one we can all understand.

            My main caveat is that some people are very uncomfortable with the idea of transgendered characters.  The topic of homosexuality does come up since Hubert is actually a female who has a wife.  Albert tries to court Helen unsuccessfully.  Helen and Albert do share a very awkward kiss at one point.  And the movie does touch on the idea of untraditional gender roles, mostly because it is a woman doing what was considered a man’s job.  You have to admit, in the late 1800s and early 1900s, there wasn’t much for women to do.  They were housekeepers, maids, mothers, wives but some of them dreamed of something more.

            Think about it.  If you had the courage to chase that seemingly impossible dream, whether its to make a huge career move, to change something about yourself or to fall in love, wouldn’t you?  

            I’m TheCinemaChick and can we forget about the things I said last night?  I didn’t mean to tell you that…