X
- 2011
- R
- LD Entertainment
- 1 h 53 m
- 2011
- R
- LD Entertainment
- 1 h 53 m
Summary Albert Nobbs is a woman passing as a man in order to work and survive in 19th century Ireland. Some thirty years after donning men's clothing, she finds herself trapped in a prison of her own making. (Roadside Attractions)
Directed By: Rodrigo García
- 2011
- R
- LD Entertainment
- 1 h 53 m
- 2011
- R
- LD Entertainment
- 1 h 53 m
Albert Nobbs
57
6.3
Where to Watch
Summary Albert Nobbs is a woman passing as a man in order to work and survive in 19th century Ireland. Some thirty years after donning men's clothing, she finds herself trapped in a prison of her own making. (Roadside Attractions)
Directed By: Rodrigo García
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 42 Critic Reviews
57
52% Positive
22 Reviews
22 Reviews
40% Mixed
17 Reviews
17 Reviews
7% Negative
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 42 Critic Reviews
57
52% Positive
22 Reviews
22 Reviews
40% Mixed
17 Reviews
17 Reviews
7% Negative
3 Reviews
3 Reviews
Most movies about people passing themselves off as the opposite sex can't sustain the illusion, but "Nobbs" does.
As the title character in Albert Nobbs, Glenn Close skulks through Edwardian-era Dublin like a eunuch on a stealth mission.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 61 User Ratings
6.3
51% Positive
31 Ratings
31 Ratings
39% Mixed
24 Ratings
24 Ratings
10% Negative
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 61 User Ratings
6.3
51% Positive
31 Ratings
31 Ratings
39% Mixed
24 Ratings
24 Ratings
10% Negative
6 Ratings
6 Ratings
Albert Nobbs is the most heartbreaking and touching film I have seen in years. I disagree with much of what some critics are saying - I was never ever bored, found the drama tense and compelling, subtly building a sense of dread about what might be about to happen. The scene on the beach - Albert's one moment of true freedom, brought tears. Glenn Close is the master of this drama, not Janet McTeer, as some are saying. To me she simply added some comic relief, and was, at most, a cartoon. See it, you will love it.
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Ms. McTeer's sly, exuberant performance is a pure delight, and the counterpoint between her physical expressiveness and Ms. Close's tightly coiled reserve is a marvel to behold. The rest of the film is a bit too decorous and tidy to count as a major revelation, but it dispenses satisfying doses of humor, pathos and surprise.
Unfortunately, Albert is so good at being unobtrusive, he nearly disappears from his own story, making it hard for us to get invested in it.
Though Istvan Szabo (Being Julia) was slated to direct at one point, the assignment ultimately went to Rodrigo Garcia, who's known for his female ensemble dramas (Nine Lives, Mother and Child) but demonstrates no particular affinity for this material.
Good performances, but it's difficult to give two hoots about Close's passion project when the story remains as pinched and hermetic as poor little Albert Nobbs himself.
Perhaps thrown by the challenge of having to direct women as men and not just as themselves, director Rodrigo Garcia turns in what may be his poorest effort to date, opting for a nearly airless tone, presenting a look that's sadly un-cinematic, and presiding over a collection of performers that seem to be operating on very different planes, and with accents of varying thicknesses.
Albert Nobbs: "Life without decency is unbearable".
The story is about a woman who struggles to find independence in 19th century Ireland and poses as a man so she can work as a butler at a top hotel. When she meets a painter it gives "Albert" the chance she needs to escape the lie she has been living.
Albert Nobbs has been described as an Oscar bait movie that's only purpose of existing is to win prizes, and while I do agree it is a bit Oscar bait and the movie itself is quite forgettable, but I'll be lying if I say there wasn't anything good in it. Compare this to other Oscar bait movies we've had in the past, this one isn't that bad or pretentious.
Glenn Close was unrecognizable in this movie. I really bought into her playing a man and it's not just by the make-up that sold the effect off, but the tone of her voice, the movement and the overall performance created the effect perfectly. I'm so shocked that Glenn Close has never won an Oscar yet, as she's been non-stop impressing me in every she's done (including this one). Glenn Close was absolutely outstanding in this movie.
The make-up, the costumes and the rest of the cast were all great. Theses not a single bad performance in this movie. The staging and the scenery was spot on.
Sadly I wish the whole movie was great, but keep in mind that I don't think Albert Nobbs is a bad movie but the movie falls into the cliche gender or sexuality problems that every Oscar bait movie dose. Now I have seen many movies that dose focus on the gender and sexuality issues and the movies themselves were great, because those movies never tried the 'Give me awards' kind of movie, they were good movies and I could easily watch them again as a film, but movies like Albert Nobbs are the type of films that I'll only watch once and never again.
Overall Albert Nobbs has fantastic performances from everyone, great make-up and scenery. Unfortunately the film itself isn't what I call "great", just forgettable and it **** saying that since I know a lot of effort went into this movie.
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The movie is so quiet and reserved that it almost seems to fade away altogether. The premise of the story was actually quite fascinating, but the fast pacing and short film length detract from the lasting impact of the film. The film really ended before it even began. It could have delved so much deeper into the topic of repression and abuse, which is what I hoped for, but it didn't (which makes that a huge, missed opportunity). That opportunity was replaced by a lingering cruelness that lasted the entire length of the film, which in the end made the film very tragic and heartbreaking. You really root for Albert during the film. You want him to succeed and be happy, but the circumstances he puts himself in makes it almost painful to watch. Oh and on another note, after the film ends, you'll want to strangle that devil-mistress of the hotel until she dies. Janet McTeer did some really wonderful acting, however. Glenn Close is a little bit harder to critique since her character was so unobtrusive.
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Claustraphobic. There is a limited richness to this period piece but the film feels claustraphobic. Silas Marner does drag. The worst performance from Glenn Close. An incredible performance by Janet McTeer. Nearly two hours of boredom.
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Production Company
Mockingbird Pictures,
Trillium Productions,
Parallel Film Productions,
Morrison Films,
WestEnd Films,
Chrysalis Films,
Allen & Associates,
Canal+,
Bord Scannán na hÉireann / The Irish Film Board
Release Date Dec 21, 2011
Duration 1 h 53 m
Rating R
Tagline A man with a secret. A woman with a dream.
Website
http://albertnobbs-themovie.com/
Awards
Golden Globes, USA
• 3 Nominations
Academy Awards, USA
• 3 Nominations
Irish Film and Television Awards
• 4 Wins & 9 Nominations
