A former art student himself, Mike Leigh and his veteran cinematographer Dick Pope planned this epic portrait of the masterful 19th century landscape painter J.M.W. Turner for many years. The final results look gorgeous, with British scenery as dramatically and beautifully captured by Pope as if he was the “painter of light” himself. All the details of the Romantic era take us to another time and place; the effect is often fascinating, although the film itself has more than its share of lulls. Timothy Spall gives an immensely rich performance as the gruff, complex artist who was sometimes celebrated, sometimes reviled.
2014-Britain. 150 min. Color. Widescreen. Written and directed by Mike Leigh. Cinematography: Dick Pope. Music: Gary Yershon. Cast: Timothy Spall (J.M.W. Turner), Paul Jesson (William Turner), Dorothy Atkinson (Hannah Danby), Marion Bailey, Karl Johnson, Ruth Sheen.
Cannes: Best Actor (Spall). European Film Awards: Best Actor (Spall).