Review #28 | "The Danish Girl" (2016)

Many of the LGBT community have scorned "The Danish Girl" and director Tom Hooper for not capturing transgendered persons accurately. The concept to remember is this film takes place in 1926 when the idea of being transgendered was considered a serious mental impairment. The world of "The Danish Girl" is very different from the Pro-LGBT world of today. Films are for everyone, not select factions of society.

The issues behind Hooper's film do not undermine the artistry behind it. Shots are full of depth and the colors, much like Gerda and Lily's paintings, are a feast for the senses. The editing doesn't seem innovative, but when you recognize that the cuts are seamless, fluid, and flattering, it suddenly becomes the editor's canvas as well. The editor highlights the cast's performances expertly. Alicia Vikander won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Gerda, and even though her talent is palpable, the various aspects of the film from lighting, to set, to cinematography, to editing enhance her performance and make her jump off of the screen.

The pace of the film progresses at a nurturing rate until the end when the audience is ready for the film to be over. It seems as though the screenwriter tried to pack too many culminating events into too short a timeframe. It seems as though the anti-climactic climax has already arched until the actual climax surfaces and the story begins it's descent into a very fast and elusive dénouement.

Overall, a very touching surprisingly fun film that tests the limits of the characters as well as the audience. Vikander's performance will leave you agreeing with the Academy.

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Rated R. Runs 1 hour 59 minutes.

Directed by Tom Hooper. Starring Eddie Redmayne, Alicia Vikander, and Amber Heard.