ETERNAL BEAUTY – Review

As the days grow shorter and colder, the big prestige dramas will soon dominate the slow trickle of releases as theatres begin to open their doors once more. And though this new film will premiere via streaming services, it harkens back one of the critical and box office hits of last year. Despite its roots in comic book pulp, JOKER was (for much of its runtime) a somber and sobering look at mental illness. Now we’re treated to a gender flip, minus the former film’s considerable body count, set “across the pond” in what appears to be the recent past (guessing the early to mid-90s). Oh, and the story’s main focus is played by the celebrated star of a recent Best Picture Oscar winner. But with its portrait of internal psychological struggle, just how does it concern ETERNAL BEAUTY?

The film begins with a flashback to a day many would consider the most beautiful of their lives. It is the wedding day of young Jane (Morfydd Clark). As she waits with her sisters at the small church in a quaint English village, a limo pulls up. Mum Vivian (Penelope Wilton) and Dad Dennis (Robert Pugh) softly speak to Jane, informing her that the groom is missing. Left at the altar, Jane is whisked back home. Flash forward a dozen or so years. The traumatic incident has taken a devasting toll on her psyche. Adult Jane (Sally Hawkins) must be “checked out” by a stern, taciturn doctor (Boyd Clack) in order to receive her medication and continue to live in a small cramped apartment near his mental health facility. She splits her time between there and his parents home, enduring the taunts of a younger sister, the flashy Nicola (Billie Piper). Oh, and she also spends time with another sister, the supportive and kind Alice (Alice Lowe), who is estranged from their parents and is married to Tony (Paul Hilton), the father of their pre-teen son Jack (Spencer Deere). Jane enjoys being a doting aunt to Jack, but her erratic behavior concerns both Alice and Tony, especially after a minor auto accident. A new prescription may be needed. Jane returns to her doctor and while in the waiting area she meets another former patient, the aspiring rock musician Mike (David Thewlis). After much hesitation, Jane responds to David’s flirtatious inquiries. She even meets him for a “date”. Can these two damaged souls heal themselves with romance and put aside the meds?

Jane’s journey is a showcase for the superb acting skills of Ms. Hawkins. From her opening scenes, she draws us in with her “closed-in” body language, half-lidded eyes, and her soft lilting line delivery. Her Jane is a tragic character, seemingly shuffling through a fog that only envelops her. But somehow Hawkins projects her wry sense of humor (never at the character’s expense). She can brush off the most insensitive dolts with an effortlessly tossed aside insult, with the target baffled at the retort. This is hinted at in the first act as Jane gives her family presents to, in turn, give to her while doling out the receipts for speedy reimbursement. Much like Hawkins’ role in THE SHAPE OF WATER, Jane seems to be otherworldly, particularly as she feels the pangs of new love (though the consummation leaves her baffled and a tad bored). Hawkins has a great “dance partner” for those scenes in Thewlis who tries to embrace the whole “bad boy” rock and roll hellion until his adulation of Jane melts it away. Music seems to be his lifeline, which he shares with her giving Jane a real sense of purpose and joy. This is in contrast to Piper’s Nicola whose glamour gal dazzle is dimmed by her sour disposition. She’s always on the “hunt” for an easy target to foot her bills, whether it’s a “sugar daddy” much older than her own papa or Jane herself, as she tries to “grift the system”. It’s a great villainess role that the former “Doctor Who” TV co-star zealously “runs with”. But then Nicola is her mama’s daughter and Wilton brings a “queen bee” wickedness to her take on the matriarch Vivian. She “rules the roost” berating her disappointing offsprings while doling out “guilt trips” (“I’m not well…it’s bad.”). In the flashback sequences she eagerly pushes her girls into pageants, often slapping those not with “the program” as she manically cackles. But it has cost her one daughter. Lowe’s Alice made her escape, but we see her weariness as she reaches out to help Jane while repressing her frustrations over the family she has “deserted”. This formidable acting ensemble truly “sells this story”.

With only one other feature film “under his belt” director/screenwriter Craig Roberts (also a busy actor) guides the cast expertly as he explores the dynamics of a “working class” family almost split apart by mental illness. He uses no flashy cameras moves or CGI to illustrate Jane’s internal confusion other than letting us hear a voice on the phone that doesn’t exist. The pacing’s a tad sluggish for the first half until Mike’s boisterous arrival (his leering grin almost pops off the screen) leading to some welcome levity and tenderness. But then Jane must plummet back to life as we see in two horrific sequences, a flashback (young Jane is forcibly dragged out of her home by “the men in white”) and a dose of electric shock treatment. It’s tough to take, but the film never gives in to despair. Hawkins’ splendid performance gives us a great insight into those struggling to “make it through” while clinging to the promise of hope. That longing for a better future could be the true source of ETERNAL BEAUTY.

2.5 Out of 4

ETERNAL BEAUTY is available as a Video On Demand via most streaming apps and platforms