Pi@LFF: Review of 'Supernova' by Harry Macqueen

Featured in the BFI London Film Festival 2020, Harry Macqueen’s film “Supernova” is a contemplative yet powerful depiction of love and loss, with spectacular performances led by Stanley Tucci and Colin Firth.

Source: BFI

A supernova is what forms when a star dies, and it is the largest explosion which occurs in space. However, there is nothing explosive about Harry Macqueen’s (“Hinterland”) new film, “Supernova”. It is slow, reserved, and devastating; particularly because in these last moments of brightness, the outburst feels so overwhelmingly imminent. Led by stellar performances by Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci, the film speaks of the ways we deal with mortality, loss, and tragedy for those we love.

“Supernova” opens with its two protagonists, Tusker, a novelist, and Sam, a pianist, as they approach the end of their road trip across England. The couple has been together for 20 years, which is evident in their lighthearted interactions and the almost insurmountable intimacy. They banter about each other’s driving and how Tusker probably forgot to pack something. Endearing and entertaining, this mundane conversation, like all the ones that come after, is framed by the heartbreaking reality of Tusker’s diagnosis of early-onset dementia. It quickly becomes apparent that their holiday is not an escape – for the disease is always painfully and unavoidably present – but a trip down memory lane, so to speak. The pair spends their time reminiscing about the past, returning to places with great significance to them, and visiting friends and family. Although the movie focuses almost entirely on the main characters, they are in no way isolated, and the world they have built for themselves in the last couple of decades is depicted with vibrancy and nostalgia. The presence of their family and friends is a small fragment of what Tusker is starting to lose and thus acquires newfound significance and sense of urgency – memory and those who are part of it are simultaneously celebrated and mourned with every scene.

Source: BFI

It is extraordinary how the audience is able to infer everything there is to know about these characters and their relationship just during the few days that comprise the last leg of their trip. Their dynamic is explored with ease and familiarity, and the screenplay does not feel the need to disrupt it with gratuitous exposition. When other characters enter the scene, there are no explanations about their relation to Sam and Tusker, nor is there any unnecessary dwelling on details about how they have managed the latter’s diagnosis; the story progresses naturally and delicately, demonstrating how these characters’ crushing circumstances reside in every instant of their love for one another. The small, tender moments shared between the men are so powerful and intimate that watching them feels almost like an intrusion on the audience’s part. This is only intensified by the emotional context that surrounds the entire movie; every kiss, hug, and caress is given with the awareness that it might be the last one. All of this is accomplished through Firth and Tucci’s tangible chemistry and masterful acting, as they fully immerse themselves in these characters as if they had lived as them for more than 50 years.

“Supernova” is a story about a man suffering from dementia as much as it is about those who love him and are forced to witness his deterioration. While Tusker struggles with the fact that he will soon stop recognizing himself and those around him, it is Sam’s unwavering support and excruciating grief which pulls the most at the heartstrings. When the pair are together in a frame, it is electric and emotionally charged. So whenever they are separated into their own close-ups, as they face uncertainty and disagreement, the distance between them feels infinite. Even more poignant are the scenes when Tusker and Sam are not in the same room and it is discovered that they might not be as honest with each other as they thought. But nonetheless, the secrets they keep and the distance they put between themselves, are always out of love.

This moving story is set against the beautiful score of English musician Keaton Henson, which sets up the film’s meditative tone while also evoking Sam’s background in classical music. The autumnal landscapes of the Lake District through which the couple drive are breathtaking and Romantic, contrasting with the tragedy of their current condition. Together with Tusker’s enthusiasm for astronomy, the swelling music, and the film’s use of extreme wide shots and aerial views, “Supernova” is never far away from its titular element. As the characters’ old RV drives in the distance, becoming a small speck in the landscape, the viewer is constantly reminded that for all the suffering and pain they witness on screen, these men’s story is but a minuscule part of the galaxy. The motif of stars, visually and narratively included, seems like both a relief and a metaphor for Sam and Tusker’s situation: the vastness of the universe and the eternal nature of matter might be the only consolation that can be found on the face of extreme, inexplicable, and unavoidable tragedy.

In all its gut-wrenching drama, it is refreshing and hopeful to watch LGBTQ+ narratives like this, where neither the plot nor its tragic ending revolve around the characters’ sexual orientation. I cannot think of many other films like this one, which portray a gay couple who have been together for so long, who don’t have to excuse or explain themselves to the world, who are strong, supportive, and flawed, and who have the opportunity to experience the same beauty and sorrow as anyone else. The same can be said for the movie’s depiction of dementia since it demonstrates that stories around the syndrome don’t have to be melodramatic and can instead portray a reality which is unbearable in its own right. “Supernova” is a brilliant and delicate achievement, which triumphs in its reticence and force. The simple yet powerful story allows the most spectacular components of the film, in particular its acting, cinematography, and music, to shine brightly. It is almost guaranteed that “Supernova” will leave you breathless and tearful, but as the movie itself addresses: “Being sad something is gone just means it was great in the first place.”

“Supernova” will be widely released in the UK on 27 November