Benedict Cumberbatch gives a big performance in a film that offers little insight into the artist’s life.
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain is an alternatively madcap and melancholic retelling of the artistic and personal life of the peculiar Louis Wain by making a lot of noise but not saying much. Biographical films have to tread a very difficult line. They must tell their central characters’ life and accomplishments while humanizing them through their rituals and quirks. And they must do this all without turning the movie idealization or fetishization of such things. Narratively, what Louis Wain gets right is that focusing on the man as a deeply troubled individual and melds his artistic work along with the afflictions that he suffered. What it gets wrong is its inability to dig deeper into Louis Wain beyond his whimsies and mannerisms and the surrounding greater Victorian English culture.
Much of the movie exists in constant commotion, bolstered by the extremely detailed production design of Suzie Davies and the costumes by Michael O’Connor. This is the realm of Baz Luhrman. However, Luhrman can get away with it. His characters are almost always secondary to the world that engulfs them, turning their stories into immersive theatrical spectacles of bit players. Louis Wain is still very much about the man himself and the contrasts between him and the world in which he lives. While Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance showcases the prowess with which he shifts expression and voice, the movie expects to ride everything on his shoulders. There just isn’t enough depth to justify it.
Louis Wain’s peculiarity, both in his art and mannerisms–perhaps psychologically related–renders him as someone who simply doesn’t fit in. He even seems to lack the ability to fit into his family. Unlike Cumberbatch’s internalized turn as Alan Turin in The Imitation Game, here the actor outwardly expresses Wain’s struggles. The narrative constantly goads us to consider his weird nature a result of genius. Moreover, it suggests his inability to sync to the wavelengths of the crackling electricity of the movie’s talkative and very well-adjusted British society is a revolutionary act of repudiation. His peculiarities render him as a sort of fetishized entity within the film.
This movie’s balancing of Wain’s deeply felt neuroses and everything around him moving like a circus becomes monotonous. It hardly goes deeper into his psychology than observing he’s different than everyone else. It even uses the crutch of the upstanding woman who understands him, something which, in my recollection, only ever worked once in the history of cinema–David Lynch’s The Elephant Man.
[Louis Wain’s] peculiarities render him as a sort of fetishized entity within the film.
Here, it’s more like The Theory of Everything where Jane Hawking acts as the reasonable translator or liaison to Stephen Hawking’s incomprehensible genius making him more understandable to the rest of society. So is Emily to Louis Wain, perhaps with lower stakes. Claire Foy remains a reliable presence giving the same warmth she did in the several previous ‘supportive wife’ roles (First Man, Breath, Rosewater, etc.).
Cumberbatch’s performance is a showy one that gives ample attention to Wain’s character quirks. It also makes us notice the actor’s efforts, suggesting something more like an awards campaign reel. Outside of the obvious showmanship, Louis Wain doesn’t step above, beyond, or even to the side of what is a very routine biographical retelling. All of the movie’s pizzazz seeks to distract from a story that fails to give justice to Wain. It really should give us deeper insights than he’s sort of weird and draws cats.
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain begins creating October 22th in theatres and November 5th on Amazon Prime.
The Electrical Life of Louis Wain Trailer:
Read next: The Spool's Best New Releases
Streaming guides
The Best Live TV Streaming Services With Free Trial
The praises of live TV streaming services don’t need to be further sung. By now, we all know that compared to clunky, commitment-heavy cable, live TV is cheaper and much easier to manage. But just in case you’re still on the fence about jumping over to the other side, or if you’re just unhappy with ... The Best Live TV Streaming Services With Free Trial
How to Watch Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 3
Season 3 of the hotly anticipated Power spin-off, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, is arriving on Starz soon, so you know what that means: it’s the ’90s again in The Southside, and we’re back with the Thomas family as they navigate the ins and outs of the criminal underworld they’re helping build. Mekai Curtis is ... How to Watch Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 3
How to Watch Doctor Who: 60th Anniversary Specials
Ladies and gentlemen, we’re so back! To celebrate Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary, the BBC is producing a three-episode special starring none other than the Tenth/Fourteenth Doctor himself, David Tennant. And to the supreme delight of fans (that would be me, dear reader), the Doctor will be joined by old-time companion Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) and ... How to Watch Doctor Who: 60th Anniversary Specials
Which Netflix Country Has Each Movie of The Hunger Games?
For whatever reason, The Hunger Games series isn’t available in the same countries around the world. You’ll find the first and second (aka the best) installments in Hong Kong, for instance, but not the third and fourth. It’s a frustrating dilemma, especially if you don’t even have a single entry in your region, which is ... Which Netflix Country Has Each Movie of The Hunger Games?
How to watch Lost Cities Revealed with Albert Lin Season 2
After a years-long hiatus, scientist and explorer Albert Lin is coming back to National Geographic with a fresh new season of Lost Cities, renamed “Lost Cities Revealed.” In the past, Lin, who is probably the closest we’ll ever get to a real-life Indiana Jones, has traveled everywhere from the ancient Knights Templar in Israel to ... How to watch Lost Cities Revealed with Albert Lin Season 2
How to Watch Paramount Network With a Free Trial
To date, Paramount Network has only two original shows on air right now: Yellowstone and Bar Rescue. The network seems to have its hands full with on-demand streaming service Paramount+, which is constantly stacked with a fresh supply of new shows. But Yellowstone and Bar Rescue are so sturdy and expansive that the network doesn’t ... How to Watch Paramount Network With a Free Trial
How to Watch WE TV With a Free Trial
Previously “Women’s Entertainment,” We TV has since rebranded to accurately reflect its name and be a more inclusive lifestyle channel. It’s home to addictive reality gems like Bold and Bougie, Bridezillas, Marriage Boot Camp, and The Untold Stories of Hip Hop. And when it’s not airing original titles, it has on syndicated shows like 9-1-1, ... How to Watch WE TV With a Free Trial
How to Watch FX With a Free Trial
You’d be hard-pressed to find a bad show airing on FX. The channel has made a name for itself as a bastion of high-brow TV, along with HBO and AMC. It’s produced shows like Atlanta, Fargo, The Americans, Archer, and more recently, Shogun. But because it’s owned by Disney, it still airs several blockbusters in ... How to Watch FX With a Free Trial
How to Watch A&E With A Free Trial
If you’re a fan of true crime and insider docu-shows like The First 48 and Court Cam, then you’re probably already familiar with A&E. The cable channel is home to other reality TV gems like Hoarders, Duck Dynasty, and Storage Wars (they’ve moved on to spin-offs like Road Wars, Customer Wars, and Prison Wars now). ... How to Watch A&E With A Free Trial
How to Watch Unimás With a Free Trial
As the sister channel of the much bigger Univision, Unimás is home to popular Spanish-language telenovelas and talk shows (yes, including El Gordo y La Flaca), as well as a couple of sports events and programs. Most notably, however, Unimás also operates a couple of station affiliates around the country, so it also reports local ... How to Watch Unimás With a Free Trial
How to Watch TNT With A Free Trial
For many sports fans, TNT is a non-negotiable. It broadcasts NBA, MLB, NHL, college basketball, and All Elite Wrestling matches. And, as a bonus, it also has reruns of shows like Supernatural, Charmed, and NCIS, as well as films like The Avengers, Dune, and Justice League. But while TNT used to be a cable staple, ... How to Watch TNT With A Free Trial