Movies to watch out for

Tuesday, 31 January 2012 17:19

Written by Editor

Albert Nobbs

By: Rodrigo Garcia,
Starring: Glenn Close, Janet McTeer

Two big hitters are up for Oscar best actress glory this year – and both are in movies which have split the critics. Meryl Streep gives a scarily good account of Margaret Thatcher, and hot money is on her taking the Best Actress award, but opinion has been split over Glenn Close's performance as a man in Albert Nobbs. Close, a five-time Oscar nominee, first played Nobbs on stage off-Broadway 30 years ago and has long been trying to bring the story to the big screen. Not only does she star, but also has a screenplay credit. For some the movie has proved to be a thought-provoking and emotional tale of an impoverished woman in 19th century Ireland who chooses to assume the identity of a man as the only way of living her life.

The charade threatens to collapse 30 years later when Nobbs falls in love with a woman. The scene is a shabby-genteel hotel in Dublin, run by a self-important owner,played by Pauline Collins, and peopled with some colourful characters, including alcoholic doctor Brendan Gleeson.

The very proper and conscientious butler Albert Nobbs keeps himself to himself and during the film we discover why the character felt she had to masquerade as a man in order to survive life. It's undoubtedly well acted, and Janet McTeer has been nominated for a best supporting actress gong for playing another cross-dressing woman.

Some movie scribes have said it's a mix of Upstairs Downstairs with The Birdcage, but without any good songs. Close's make-up looks good and the role is a challenge – probably one for Glenn Close fans though.