Director: Paul McGuigan
Writer: Matt Greenhalgh (Screenplay) Peter Turner (Memoir)
Starring: Annette Bening, Jamie Bell, Julie Walters, Vanessa Redgrave, Stephen Graham
Plot: A romance sparks between a young actor and a Hollywood leading lady.
Tagline – A True Story of What Happens When a Hollywood Legend Discovers Romance
Runtime: 1 Hour 45 Minutes
There may be spoilers the rest of the review
Verdict: Wonderful Drama
Story: Film Stars Don’t Die In Liverpool starts as actress Gloria Graham (Bening) learns about being sick, turning to fellow actor Peter Turner (Bell) and old friend to care for her in Liverpool. We look back at how the two first met, shared a bond over movies as Gloria hasn’t had the same impact in Hollywood that she once did.
The two had a romance and with Gloria back in his life the 30-year-old Peter must deal with the memories he had with Gloria and the future that might not have her in.
Thoughts on Film Stars Don’t Die In Liverpool
Characters – Peter Turner is the aspiring actor in Liverpool, he meets the Hollywood elite in Gloria, he had a romance with the older woman and now he must look back on that time when she returns sick. He knows he has fallen in love, but knows in the long-term it just couldn’t happen. Gloria Grahame is the Hollywood elite, an Oscar winner that isn’t in the limelight like she once was. In Liverpool she meets Peter that brings new life to her life, which was famous for the number of husbands she has been through. We do have Peter’s family that support Gloria when she returns sick, questioning why Peter can’t be as supportive as he could be.
Performances – Annette Bening is fantastic in this leading role, this is one of the best acting performances of 2017 and was criminally under-appreciated when it came to awards season. Jamie Bell returns to an English based movie 17-years after Billy Elliott, he shows us that his talent was always there and can be one of the most reliable actors in Hollywood, given the right material. The supporting cast are all wonderful too.
Story – The story is told in two parts, the first is when the sick Gloria returns to the life of Peter, this brings us the second part as we look back on their relationship, from both points of view when it comes to different moments that happen. This adds so much more to this story, because when certain moments happen you can understand both the characters reactions to what is happening and support them both. The idea of a normal up and coming actor getting into a romance with an older Hollywood legend plays out well two, because it shows how love can come from different places and with this being based on the real memoir of Peter it adds to the natural feel about it all.
Biopic/Romance – This is based on the memoirs of Peter Turner, this will show what drove him to reach the next level of acting while being able to say he was the one that fell in love with the actress. The romance side of the film shows us just where these two people who came from different backgrounds could fall in love.
Settings – The film shows us the harder life of an up and coming actor in Liverpool would be living in, the world that Gloria once was from and the one they could have together.
Scene of the Movie – New York argument, from both points of view.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – Not enough people saw this one.
Final Thoughts – This is a movie that all film fans should be going to see, it is a wonderful story about two people that fall in love, based in truth as the young actor meets Hollywood elite, where age was never a barrier for the two.
Overall: Film fans go and watch.
Rating
