The protagonist is a real-life figure, although not exactly historic. In her field, however, she had made ample contribution which, alas, were not even credited to her own name, in the male-dominated era she was born into.
Mary Anning (Kate Winslet) was a palaeontologist in England in the 1840s. A deprived childhood in abject poverty molded her into something as hard as the fossils she gathers at the rugged Dorset seashore, a passion and a livelihood. She shares her life with just her mother, but only in the sense than they live under the same roof.
Honestly I cannot think of any actor who can best Winslet in portraying the bottled up resentment and resignation. Winslet accomplished this with an unsmiling, taciturn face that is subtly eloquent. As well, a half-nude shot of her back shows the hardened, developed muscles from climbing and digging (Winslet must have worked hard on this, unless it is superb makeup). When a fellow scientist pays her a friendly, albeit unexpected, visit, her cold handshake signals rejection rather than welcome.
But it is this man's wife that changes Anning's life forever. Delicately beautiful and vulnerably fragile, Charlotte (Saoirse Ronan) is described by her husband as one suffering from "mild malancolia". Without saying in so many words, he leaves a clear impression that she is something of a burden. A rich man, he can afford to pay Mary to look after his wife while he has important business to do all over Europe. While Mary does not particularly need a burden either, the money is handy.
The rest of the film, depicting the development of the relationship between these two women, is a joy to behold. Trying to describe the mesmerizing performance of these two actors would ruin the enjoyment of the film. Very little is known about the private life of Anning. Therefore, director/writer Francis Lee had a free hand in showing his artistic creativity, which he accomplished brilliantly. The narrative is opening-ended, in a wordless scene showing the two protagonists gazing at each other across the glass display case in a museum, with their hitherto persona somewhat reversed. Just that one shot will stay with you for a long time, let alone the entire film.
Mary Anning (Kate Winslet) was a palaeontologist in England in the 1840s. A deprived childhood in abject poverty molded her into something as hard as the fossils she gathers at the rugged Dorset seashore, a passion and a livelihood. She shares her life with just her mother, but only in the sense than they live under the same roof.
Honestly I cannot think of any actor who can best Winslet in portraying the bottled up resentment and resignation. Winslet accomplished this with an unsmiling, taciturn face that is subtly eloquent. As well, a half-nude shot of her back shows the hardened, developed muscles from climbing and digging (Winslet must have worked hard on this, unless it is superb makeup). When a fellow scientist pays her a friendly, albeit unexpected, visit, her cold handshake signals rejection rather than welcome.
But it is this man's wife that changes Anning's life forever. Delicately beautiful and vulnerably fragile, Charlotte (Saoirse Ronan) is described by her husband as one suffering from "mild malancolia". Without saying in so many words, he leaves a clear impression that she is something of a burden. A rich man, he can afford to pay Mary to look after his wife while he has important business to do all over Europe. While Mary does not particularly need a burden either, the money is handy.
The rest of the film, depicting the development of the relationship between these two women, is a joy to behold. Trying to describe the mesmerizing performance of these two actors would ruin the enjoyment of the film. Very little is known about the private life of Anning. Therefore, director/writer Francis Lee had a free hand in showing his artistic creativity, which he accomplished brilliantly. The narrative is opening-ended, in a wordless scene showing the two protagonists gazing at each other across the glass display case in a museum, with their hitherto persona somewhat reversed. Just that one shot will stay with you for a long time, let alone the entire film.