Albert Nobbs
Winter 2012 Features series
Sunday, April 22, 2012 at 4 p.m.
Sunday, April 22, 2012 at 7 p.m.
Acadia Cinema's Al Whittle Theatre
450 Main Street, Wolfville, NS
Directed by Rodrigo García
Written by Glenn Close, John Banville and Gabriella Prekop from a short story by George Moore
Starring Glenn Close, Mia Wasikowska and Aaron Johnson
Rated NR · 113 minutes
UK and Ireland
English
Albert Nobbs
Working as a butler in a high-end hotel in Dublin, Nobbs (Glenn Close) lives an intensely private and solitary life, closely guarding a secret. When a stranger (Janet McTeer, Tideland) is hired on to paint the interior of the hotel, Nobbs finds herself forced to share a room with the overbearing gentleman, and the surprising truth quickly emerges. Terrified by what this possible exposure could mean, Nobbs quickly discovers they have more in common than meets the eye – both are women, who for very different reasons, have decided to live their lives disguised as men. With this in common, the two form a fast friendship, and Nobbs begins to dream of a life similar to that of her new friend’s – complete with a home, a shop, and a wife to call her own.
Fifteen years in the making, Albert Nobbs is the highly anticipated feature by acclaimed director Rodrigo García (Mother and Child). It is based on a short story by Irish writer George Moore, a member of the Irish Literary Revival movement of the latter 19th and early 20th century. Glenn Close, who did a stage version of the story in 1982 not only stars in the film but also coproduced and cowrote this moving and effectual portrait of one woman’s struggle with personal identity and self-assurance in 19th century Ireland.
Albert Nobbs is a fascinating character study that offers a glimpse into one individual’s personal struggle with gender and identity. Glenn Close delivers an understated and remarkable performance as a lonely and lost individual struggling to find happiness amidst a bleak existence. The supporting cast of characters includes Mia Wasikowska (Restless, Jane Eyre), Aaron Johnson (Nowhere Boy), and Brendan Gleeson (The Guard, In Bruges).