Mr Turner is not for all tastes, with its 2 1/2 hour length, leisurely pace, and people have and will feel that it covers things that they already know about Turner or think there isn't enough about it or not like how the story is handled. With me, Mr Turner was an interesting film with a lot of fantastic things but at the same time I was expecting more.
The attention to detail and atmosphere in Mr Turner is done absolutely brilliantly, and it does make one interested in Turner and the world he lives in but the biographical elements of the story for my tastes could have been handled better. A lot of stuff is covered but could have been explored more, and structurally the film did feel too sketchy and episodic and like fragments, some of which like the sex scene with the housekeeper not being relevant. It's also a good idea to read up on Turner and his life first before seeing the film to get a better idea as to when and where events are taking place in various stages of his life, there is a lot of jumping about with some large gaps in time frame without giving indication as to how many years had passed. The film is a little draggy in spots, with some occasional moments of sluggish editing and meandering writing.
However, Mr Turner has some truly great photography, the way it's framed and shot it is like looking at a painting and the scenery is just gorgeous and like being in the era. Some may find the music score intrusive and discordant, very understandable as I thought so too at first but the beautiful, penetrating and almost ominous effect and the way it's orchestrated was really quite clever. Mike Leigh's directing came over as very personal and expertly, from a technical and atmosphere standpoint as well as how he handles the actors and humour. The script's not always consistent but shows a deft balance of humour and emotion, though other Mike Leigh films handle the comedy and drama aspects better, both when balanced and individually. The story while biographically flawed was intriguing still and I didn't find myself bored, though the slow pacing has alienated and will alienate viewers, even better was how it immerses one into the Romantic era itself, so much so you feel and smell it. While the characterisation is not hugely rich they also maintained interest and not that emotionally cold.
The fine acting helps, the obvious standout is Timothy Spall's brilliant lead performance, some of his best work in a great career, but Dorothy Atkinson is deeply affecting in her nuanced portrayal even when silent a good deal of the time, Paul Jesson is charming and touching as Turner's father(their relationship was one of the story's better assets), Martin Savage captures pain, desperation and anger most admirably and Marion Bailey radiates as perhaps the film's most sympathetic character. Lesley Manville is underused though and wasn't sure whether Ruskin was as effeminate as Joshua McGuire made him, though McGuire's enthusiasm was evident. All in all, interesting, well-made and with a lot of fantastic things but to be honest I was expecting to love it much more and can totally see why opinions are so divisive on IMDb. 7/10 Bethany Cox
The attention to detail and atmosphere in Mr Turner is done absolutely brilliantly, and it does make one interested in Turner and the world he lives in but the biographical elements of the story for my tastes could have been handled better. A lot of stuff is covered but could have been explored more, and structurally the film did feel too sketchy and episodic and like fragments, some of which like the sex scene with the housekeeper not being relevant. It's also a good idea to read up on Turner and his life first before seeing the film to get a better idea as to when and where events are taking place in various stages of his life, there is a lot of jumping about with some large gaps in time frame without giving indication as to how many years had passed. The film is a little draggy in spots, with some occasional moments of sluggish editing and meandering writing.
However, Mr Turner has some truly great photography, the way it's framed and shot it is like looking at a painting and the scenery is just gorgeous and like being in the era. Some may find the music score intrusive and discordant, very understandable as I thought so too at first but the beautiful, penetrating and almost ominous effect and the way it's orchestrated was really quite clever. Mike Leigh's directing came over as very personal and expertly, from a technical and atmosphere standpoint as well as how he handles the actors and humour. The script's not always consistent but shows a deft balance of humour and emotion, though other Mike Leigh films handle the comedy and drama aspects better, both when balanced and individually. The story while biographically flawed was intriguing still and I didn't find myself bored, though the slow pacing has alienated and will alienate viewers, even better was how it immerses one into the Romantic era itself, so much so you feel and smell it. While the characterisation is not hugely rich they also maintained interest and not that emotionally cold.
The fine acting helps, the obvious standout is Timothy Spall's brilliant lead performance, some of his best work in a great career, but Dorothy Atkinson is deeply affecting in her nuanced portrayal even when silent a good deal of the time, Paul Jesson is charming and touching as Turner's father(their relationship was one of the story's better assets), Martin Savage captures pain, desperation and anger most admirably and Marion Bailey radiates as perhaps the film's most sympathetic character. Lesley Manville is underused though and wasn't sure whether Ruskin was as effeminate as Joshua McGuire made him, though McGuire's enthusiasm was evident. All in all, interesting, well-made and with a lot of fantastic things but to be honest I was expecting to love it much more and can totally see why opinions are so divisive on IMDb. 7/10 Bethany Cox