“Tolkien” explores the formative years of the orphaned author as he finds friendship, love and artistic inspiration among a group of fellow outcasts at school.
“Tolkien” explores the formative years of the renowned author’s life as he finds friendship, courage, and inspiration among a fellow group of writers and artists at school. Their brotherhood strengthens as they grow up and weather love and loss together, including Tolkien’s tumultuous courtship of his beloved Edith Bratt (Lily Collins), until the outbreak of the First World War which threatens to tear their fellowship apart. All of these experiences would later inspire Tolkien to write his famous Middle-earth novels.
Although one may think this is a biopic of the great mind behind “The Lord of the Rings” novels, it’s actually more about the origin of these masterpieces. A story of romance between Tolkien, his stories, his brothers in the T.C.B.S. (Tea Club and Barrovian Society) and the love of his life, Edith. The journey to Middle Earth takes many tolls to his heart. The movie starts off with Tolkien as an army officer in the middle of the Battle of Somme in WWI, Tolkien is under heavy fire, fever-ridden, hallucinating and reminiscing back to his youth while living in a boarding house in Birmingham. His mother died of an unknown sickness while he was a teen and left in the care of Father Morgan (Colm Meaney), who places him in said house as well as enrolls him in King Edwards School. During this time we are introduced to his fellow housemate Edith and one of the best boy clicks on screen; Rob, Geoffery, and Chris, the TCBS, the nerdiest click you wish you were a part of. As you follow their journey all the way from their time at Oxford and Cambridge, it’s easy to see how the bonds that are forged with all the aforementioned, heavily influenced the fellowship of his books. Although the pacing does drag from time to time, the development of these relationships still manage to keep you captivated.
The cast itself was every bit charismatic and engaging, especially “X-Men” alumni Nicholas Hoult and Lily Collins, but in no way can you count out the supporting cast as well. You equally wanted to be part of their super nerdy club and artistic revolution and easily fell in love with Collins’ fair yet spunky Edith. The movie’s greatest feat is balancing the author’s friendships with what approaches an extraordinary romance between Tolkien and Edith. Cinematography on the film was amazing, not only holding the nostalgic feel of the era but also capturing a mystical feel at times of the Rings trilogy films as well. Throughout the movie, you get glimpses of imagery from hallucinations of dragons and dark elves on horses during Tolkien’s time in the war, to angelic lighting on Edith that clearly influenced his Elvin princesses as well as much of the life that would one day encompass the magical Middle Earth.
Overall, the movie portrays Tolkien as a truly miraculous force of nature, enamoring all that came across his presence, so yeah, there’s more than a tad bit of worshiping here. It’s as much a journey of him finding his place in this world and fighting his demons, as it is about how the creation of one of modern literature’s stories came to fruition.
In theaters Friday, May 10th
