Albert Nobbs: Movie Review

Cast: Glenn Close, Janet McTeer, Mia Wasikowska, Aaron Johnson, Brendan Gleeson

Director: Rodrigo Garcia

In 19th Century Ireland, a butler lights candles in a hotel.

As the light flickers fully into focus, it reveals Glenn Close's Albert Nobbs, a worker in a hotel. But this is no ordinary worker, it's a woman dressed as a man.

Nobbs has been dressing as a man for some thirty years to make a living - and has ended up working at a hotel making enough to get by and save for her dream of owning a shop. No-one's ever suspected a thing - that is until she's forced to share a room with Mr Page (Janet McTeer).

It's then that Nobbs' secret is revealed - but Page has secrets of his own too.

And gradually, Nobbs begins to realize that he/ she's trapped and now wants more than ever to break out.

Albert Nobbs is a real drag of a film - and not in the obvious pun kind of way.

Despite the parallels between the hotel staff and an episode of Downton Abbey, there's little life in it despite purporting to be a comedy.

Extremely slow, very plodding and taking a long time to get going anywhere, it really only scores because of Glenn Close's utterly astounding performance - and some truly impressive make up/ prosthetics.

Under a stiffly starched appearance, Close has to convey a lot through her eyes, and a whole range of emotion she manages to get across too; sadness, hope, fear and uncertainty. There's one scene where she's liberated on a beach and it's the only uplifting moment in the entire film. She's already been nominated for a Golden Globe and it's a worthy nomination.

McTeer and Close make a great contrasting pair and both really blaze the trail in this - but as it spools out its tale of repression and self pitying, you can't help but wish there was a bit more life in this flick.

Albert Nobbs: Movie Review Rating: