Supernova Review

Supernova is a British drama about love and commitment in the face of life-altering circumstances.

Sam (Colin Firth) and Tusker (Stanley Tucci) are a couple who have been together for 20 years. Tusker has been diagnosed with early-onset dementia and Sam is prepared to give up his life as a concert pianist to care for his partner. Sam and Tusker travel together around the Lake District before Sam’s last concert.

In the UK Supernova has been released soon after The Father which looked at a similar subject matter. Both films serve as interesting companion pieces to each other. The Father focused on an octogenarian as he lived in the confusing maze of his mind and showed the struggles the main character’s daughter had looking after her father. Supernova was about a man who is at the beginning of his condition and the couple makes preparation for the next stage of their life. However, Sam and Tusker have different views on devotion.

The obvious difference between the two films is Supernova was about a man during the early stages of his condition. For the most part Tusker had his wits, he was approachable, and he had kept his sense of humour. But there were signs of his condition because he was forgetting things and struggled to put his clothes on. Because of this Sam was extremely protective of Tusker and worried when his partner disappeared to walk the dog.

As stated Sam and Tusker were aware of Tusker’s condition. Sam was thinking about practical things like where the pair would live, whilst Tusker talked to Sam’s friends and family to ensure his partner was looked after emotionally. This showed their different outlooks because Sam was the seriously minded one of the pair whilst Tusker was a joker, at least to Sam. Both had different attitudes to how to prepare for the future.

Supernova’s winning aspect was its lead performances. Firth and Tucci have proven time and again they are incredible performers and they were fantastic together. Combined with the writing their relationship felt genuine. They joked, bickered, embarrassed each other and they had concern for each other and there was a tenderness between the two like them cuddling in bed at the beginning of the film.

Supernova also had a shocking revelation. This led to a lot of conflict and drama between the two as well as an ethical debate. This tension was exacerbated by their isolation. They drove through the barren valleys of the Lake District before reaching a cottage where the final act took place.

Supernova was a terrifically acted film that looked at some heavy subject matter. It was a film that like a realistic portrayal of the issues it presented.