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Supernova Movie Review

Supernova is a 2021 drama film directed by Harry Macqueen and starring Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci. It’s a heartbreaking movie.

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“But being sad when something is gone,

just means it was great while it was there, right?“

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A gay couple embark on a road trip as dementia starts to take hold of one of them. This movie is an immensely difficult, incredibly tragic watch that’s certainly not for anyone, but as a dark drama about one of the most tragic diseases, it’s quite effective.

The dialogue is very good (that entire discussion about suicide was approached from both sides very seriously) and the emotion is definitely felt, though there were times in the movie where it seemed like an obvious Oscar-bait, especially in regards to the extensive emphasis on the acting by its capable actors, who carry the film on their firm shoulders a bit too well, making the rest of the picture seem much inferior as a result.

Sam is this colder, very much British man who hides his emotions until a big confrontation in the third act. Tusker is the opposite. He is friendly and with a bitchy sense of humor. This American-British couple felt very grounded in reality with their dynamic being utterly believable and nuanced.

Stanley Tucci is terrific as he always is, but he did get a less showy role unfortunately. He is still wonderful, but this is Firth’s movie through and through, and he did give one of his finest performances here. Going from composed to angry and devastated, he managed to sell his every emotion in a scene-stealing turn.

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Supernova benefits from a particularly gorgeous scenic outlook on Lake District in England. The lakes, the forests and the paved roads are stunning to behold and the film is at its best in those road trip elements. It is literally a British version of an American road trip movie, but unfortunately the film turned into overly emotionally manipulative and standard drama territory in the second half with the ending being particularly forgettable. It’s a film that I really liked, but its lack of originality and truly memorable moments was its biggest problem.

Supernova is an undeniable Oscar-bait drama that is emotionally manipulative, lacking in originality and focusing too much on the actors’ performances to carry the script through the finish line. They did just that. Stanley Tucci is reliably strong while Colin Firth gave one of his best turns in an emotionally complex, fantastic performance. The road trip elements are wonderful and the film is very sweet and moving, but the third act was less interesting.

My Rating – 4