Review of The Electrical Life of Louis Wain (2021) by Kenr — 23 Dec 2021

The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain – Challenges Us To Feel Some films can firmly claim to be one-of-a-kind, such as; ‘The Life of Pi’, then there’s this one, about a painter I had not heard of from the late eighteen hundreds.

Louis was a tortured fellow bordering on several psychotic spectrums while being extremely gifted in the arts, etc - leaving behind his remarkable (and much copied) Cat paintings that took the era by storm.

Its style is dazzling all the way, and impresses on many levels – it starts off with a rather convoluted opening, that may not suit viewers with a short attention span or an impatience for understanding what drives a character’s actions.

This is a fact-based story running the gamut of human emotions - seeking to open doorways into the lives of troubled souls who existed during unsympathetic, and rather medically ignorant times (think also of Van Gogh).

Production design, performances, cinematography and, music are exemplary, leaving patient audiences with a unique and precious gift. Director, co-writer, Japanese/English Will Sharp is no stranger to Bipolar disorders being type 11, and injects powerful understandings into Louis’s character.

Will’s brother, Arthur Sharp, imparts wonderful emotional support supplying a stand-out Theremin based music score. Story writer Simon Stephenson has created a rich human experience giving us much to feel and think about (perhaps there’s also a nod to Australian pop artist Martin Sharp here).

One aspect that created a little disappointment was the decision to photograph in a variation of the old 4 x 3 frame. It added nothing to the story, in fact, gave the film a cramped, claustrophobic feel, that can be better achieved in production design.

Modern moviemakers sometimes, mistakenly, think they need to go backward - away from the vast improvements in aspect ratios, this can sacrifice vital elements within their work. The end credits were neat but why so small? Otherwise, it’s quite a special experience from Studio Canal and Amazon Studios.