Film Review: Empire of Light is something of a love letter to cinema

Olivia Colman as Hilary. Picture: PA Photo/Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures/© 2022 20th Century Studios.

★★★☆☆

Opening in 1980, Empire of Light (15A) stars Olivia Colman as Hilary, who manages a cinema in a small English coastal town and trudges through a life of quiet desperation — living alone in the wake of her latest ‘episode’.

Hilary’s only source of affection is her overbearing boss Donald (Colin Firth), who occasionally calls Hilary into his office for a quick fumble. It’s no surprise, then, that Hilary is instantly smitten by Stephen (Michael Ward), a new employee who isn’t just young and handsome, but radiates an optimism that works like a tonic on the depressed Hilary. That Michael is black isn’t an issue for Hilary, but with racism on the rise in 1980s Britain, any relationship the pair might contrive will be fraught with danger.

Empire of Light stars Olivia Colman as Hilary.

Written and directed by Sam Mendes, Empire of Light is something of a love letter to cinema that will, in parts, remind older viewers of Cinema Paradiso (Toby Jones puts in a lovely turn as the veteran projectionist Norman, who takes Stephen under his wing). Olivia Colman is dependably excellent, and achingly vulnerable when Hilary succumbs to yet another violent mood-swing.

That said, the film can feel jarringly simplistic at times on the complex subject of mental health — that’s not Colman’s fault, of course, but such missteps tend to undermine the superb chemistry between Colman and Michael Ward, who is in scene-stealing form in his first major role.

(cinema release)