10s Movie Review - Albert Nobbs

Director: Rodrigo García
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 113 minutes
Year: 2018
Starring: Glenn Close, Mia Wasikowska, Aaron Taylor Johnson, Brendan Gleeson, Jonathan Rhys Meyers

I WATCHED THIS FOR MY 2023 MOVIE CHALLENGE
WEEK 12: A MOVIE FILMED IN A PLACE YOU VISITED
 
Description: Albert Nobbs (Glenn Close) struggles to survive in late 19^th-century Ireland, where women aren’t encouraged to be independent. Posing as a man so she can work as a butler in Dublin’s most elegant hotel, Albert meets a handsome painter and looks to escape the lie she has been living.

Review: Nineteen-century Ireland was a poor and sad country. The difference between the poorest and richest was enormous and many people, especially single women, lived a poverty-stricken life. One way for a single woman to live an independent life was to dress up as a man. And that is exactly what Albert Nobbs did. Albert had been working as a butler in various hotels since she was 14. With her breasts strapped tightly under a corset, she serves guests in the hotel like a true gentleman. Her secret keeps her from forming friendships and relationships, yet deep inside she years to live a normal life. Preferably with a partner.

In 1982, Glenn Close already starred in a play based on the short story “The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs”, and it has always remained a part of her.

The film starts with no introduction. The task for the viewer is to observe how the main characters in the film are served. We see Albert’s averted gaze, the appreciation the guest have for him and the staff’s fear of making mistakes. “Albert Nobbs” leans mostly on details and on Glenn Close. She did a wonderful job portraying Albert.

But even though the performance by Close is memorable, “Albert Nobbs” itself isn’t. The plot itself doesn’t manage to captivate as strongly as the protagonist. As a result, feelings of emptiness and loneliness prevail once the credits roll.

Rating: 3 / 5