Review of Albert Nobbs (2011) by Marina N — 10 Dec 2011

"Albert Nobbs" isn't a bad film by any means, it's just not a great one. It's a good period piece with solid performances. This film has been a labour of love for Glenn Close for about 30 years now.

She starred in the stage version in 1982 and since then has wanted to turn "Nobbs" into a feature film. Getting the film greenlit was an accomplishment in itself for Close, but she didn't stop there.

Close not only stars in the film as the title character, she also co-produced the film, co-wrote the screenplay and co-wrote an original song for the film (which is a lovely ballad performed by Sinéad O'Connor).

Theoretically, she could walk away with four Oscar nominations this year, but that's unlikely. The film isn't faring well with critics and it'll undoubtedly do poorly at the box office. This isn't a good sign for Oscar potential, but if there is a shroud of hope, Close will earn a nomination for Best Actress.

She gives a wonderfully nuanced performance as a woman who disguises herself as a man in order to make it in 19th century male-dominated Ireland. It's a sad film and an ultimately tragic tale, but emotional investment is scarce since the pace of the film is painfully slow at times and the overall direction is quite lacklustre.

For such a passion project, this film felt quite uninspired. Close gives it her all and she's far and away the highlight of the film, but director Rodrigo García clearly wasn't as invested in the story.

He's well known for being an actor's director and he proves that by getting great performances from the cast, but sadly he's lacking in most other departments. If there's any justice, Close will receive a well-deserved sixth Oscar nomination and Janet McTeer will receive her second Oscar nomination for her wonderful supporting performance.

The scenes Close and McTeer share are the best parts about "Albert Nobbs". It's a fine film, but it had every reason to be extraordinary. (C+).