Will Sharpe has been quietly carving a niche for himself in the world of British television, most recently directing the true crime miniseries Landscapers, and perhaps more notably with Flowers, his tragicomic series that I think perfectly laid out his MO for the kind of stories he tells and the style he does it in. This style is immediately apparent watching The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, a quirky, heartfelt biopic of the titular artist, known for his vast portfolio of colourful cat paintings. It's a niche story for sure, but one that perfectly fits Sharpe's sensibilities and pet themes. Dysfunctional families, tortured artists, individuals struggling to communicate in a world that seems to be moving far too quickly; if it wasn't for the fact that this is a true story, it would be easy to mistake this for a feature-length spin-off of Flowers
And while the film is far more than its eye-watering visuals, it's easily the first thing that stands out here, and it's an aspect of Sharpe's style that I think is only getting stronger with each of his projects. Erik Wilson's cinematography is, appropriately, very painterly in its look and feel, occasionally even blurring the shots to give the impression of watercolours on a canvas. This pairs perfectly with the woozy montages that Sharpe utilised brilliantly in Flowers, and he doubles down on those here, occasionally lapsing into dreamy psychedelia but always staying true to his subject. The film plays its tweeness totally straight, and while that's bound to put some people off, there is something really admirable about how proudly it wears its quirky heart on its sleeve without ever tipping into over cutesy over-sweetness
It's an endearing film for sure, and I think the level of detail that is poured into the style and the idiosyncrasy really helps the film cover up its one key issue, that being how slight most of its ideas of larger themes are. The emotional core is strong and the film completely sells its more heartfelt beats, but most of that kind of falls through when the film really fails to make any larger point about the life it's capturing. It never justifies why it's telling this specific story, and while the amount of detail and love put into the film always keeps it watchable, it ultimately gives in to its lack of anything to say and winds up as a very enjoyable and hugely sincere but frustratingly shallow portrait of the artist as a wounded man
Thankfully, it's able to make it over the line on the backs of its excellent performances. Benedict Cumberbatch is as great as advertised, fresh off of his barnstorming turn in The Power of the Dog. His is a performance full of empathy and sensitivity, bringing each of Wain's tics to life without ever trivialising them or playing them for laughs. Claire Foy is a perfect co-lead, teasing out the film's heart in the first half before haunting the more emotional home stretch. I also thought Andrea Riseborough was fantastic as ever in this, as was Olivia Colman's pointed narration. My favourite aspect of this film however, is the parade of cameos, from the entire main cast of Flowers and a whole host of UK comedians to some slightly more surprising turns that make for some sharp shots of delight, particularly in the third act
It's not a film that makes any larger statement about its story or subject, but The Electrical Life of Louis Wain is consistently delightful, emotionally affecting and totally and utterly sincere in its twee approach. It lacks the edge that makes Sharpe's TV work so effective, but it's a nice tonic to start the year with, so for that reason, I'm going to go ahead and give this a 6/10
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