Day 342: The Danish Girl (February, 14)

To say that I was waiting a lot from The Danish Girl is the least. The movie's trailer, all the fuss around Eddie Redmayne performance and all created an atmosphere of expectation around Tom Hopper's movie.

Despite being based on real persons, the story is above all fictional. The alleged focus is on Redmayne's character sexual identity. It is an actual subject, an extremely relevant one, and Hopper treads through it by the delicate cinematography that resembles the painting of the main couple of renowed artists from the 20's. We flow through the beautifull painting on the movie's screen. And, despite understanding the need of a gentle hand while talking about such an important matter, all the poetic images here aren't able to tell the whole story by itself. It was almost as Hopper was scared of telling this tale.

I love Redmayne, but his excessive mannerisms as Lily distance her from the audience. In that sense, for me, Alicia Vikander is the real amazement here (as she is proving to be for a couple of years now). Her Gerda is strong and delicate, faithful, determined, talented, troubled. If I was emotional here, with tears on my eyes, it was mainly because of her. Redmayne's performance didn't tell all that I was expecting at first. He is correct, of course, and a genius in some moments (those in which I could relate to Lily's journey). However, he is simply not enought to tell Lily's story.

The pace is correct, not hurrying to get to the point. The characters have a coherent background, despite of some aspects regarding Lily and Gerda that do not become clear. The relation of the last one with Hans is a mystery at the end. Too much fear in here, I supose. 

I've just read many comments about how this movie is inaccurate historically. As I've said before, even if based in true events, every story is a work of fiction. In this one, the fictional aspects are highlighted. For me, the goal here was not to celebrate Lily Elbes' life, but to create awareness about the transgender reality - the struggling of spend a whole life in a alien body. And I think the audience can relate to that.

We were in a crowded theater on a Sunday afternoon, a vision of hell for me. A guy behind us said, when Redmayne showed us Lily for the first time in the movie: what an ugly trannie. Seriously? I looked at him with an incredulous expression. He was able to restrain his ugly opinions for the rest of the movie. But I was expecting that and more, actually. Beyond that, the movie is very sensuous, explicit even, honest in this way. And so the audience was getting quieter at every development of Lily's story, in a uncomfortable silence - but the whole auditorium reacted strongly against the violence toward the main character.

It was a curious experience, a bit disappointing movie. However, The Danish Girl is a relevant story, a attempt to discuss a subject that shouldn't be this such a taboo anymore.

I forgot to tell you: my mother was with me again! Two winners in a roll <3

The Danish Girl. Directed by Tom Hopper. Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Alicia
Vikander, Amber Heard. Writers: Lucinda Coxon form the novel by David
Ebershoff. UK/USA/Belgium/Denmark/Germany, 2015, 119 min.,
Dolby Digital, Color (Cinema).