Four stars. Rated PG-13, for dramatic intensity and disturbing images
By Derrick Bang
This is — but at the same time,
isn’t — what you’re expecting.
The tagline — “With her love, he
lived” — implies a poignant drama likely to bring tears, and that’s entirely
accurate. But this also is the factual biographical depiction of Robin
Cavendish, who was anything but ordinary ... and he sure as hell wasn’t a
victim.
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| An outdoor excursion proves just the ticket for Robin Cavendish (Andrew Garfield, reclining), much to the delight of his friends and family: from left, Teddy (Hugh Bonneville, partially obscured), Diana (Claire Foy), young Jonathan (Harry Marcus) and David (Tom Hollander) |
No matter how old I get — no
matter how much time is spent in movie theaters — I marvel at directors and
writers who keep finding amazing people who’ve thus far escaped the mainstream
attention they deserve. In this case, of course, that’s my American ignorance
speaking; I’m sure Cavendish remains a household name to this day, in his native
England, just as he must’ve been during his incredible life.
Andy Serkis — a longtime stage
actor who became best known for “performing” CGI characters such as Gollum (Lord of the Rings), King Kong and Caesar
(Planet of the Apes) — makes an
impressive directorial debut with Breathe,
the thoroughly engaging saga of Cavendish’s life. Although ample credit also
belongs to his stunning ensemble cast, there’s no question that Serkis
orchestrates the film with heartfelt respect for his subject.
Scripter William Nicholson —
Oscar-nominated for 1993’s Shadowlands,
and for his collaborative work on 2000’s Gladiator
— handles this challenge with intelligence, sensitivity and far more spontaneous
humor than one would think possible. Although Cavendish endured what most would
consider a tragedy, that descriptor does not characterize this film; it’s
astonishing, how often Nicholson evokes gentle laughter.
That must have been one of the
key goals, because — more than anything — Cavendish demanded to be accepted and
treated like everybody else ... which is to say, like “normal” people.
On top of which, Serkis and
Nicholson had the best possible guidance: One of this film’s producers is
Jonathan Cavendish, Robin’s son, who with Serkis runs the production company
Imaginarium Studios. Bringing his father’s story to the big screen obviously
was a labor of love for Jonathan, and — this, too, is a small miracle — his
devotion to the material didn’t interfere with what has emerged as a remarkably
tender and thoroughly uplifting film.
The story opens in the late
1950s. As introduced during a spirited cricket match, Robin (Andrew Garfield)
is every inch the dashing, ex-British Army officer. In a few deftly constructed
scenes, Serkis and Nicholson establish the love-at-first-sight speed with which
Robin falls for the aristocratic Diana Blacker (Claire Foy, immediately
recognized as young Queen Elizabeth II, in TV’s The Crown). She’s equally smitten, and they marry.
