By David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong

Beans (Kiawentiio) wants to fit in. The 12-year-old Mohawk girl just applied to an elite middle school and she is being bullied by some older teens in her Indigenous community. While she struggles to find her place, two Mohawk communities begin a standoff with Quebec authorities over the expansion of a golf course into a neighbouring forest and burial ground, thrusting Beans into a world of racism and violence she has never experienced before.

In her first narrative Feature, Co-Writer/Director Tracey Deer has crafted a powerful coming-of-age story that centres around the Oka Crisis in 1990 Quebec. Deer does not shy away from the intensity of the situation, frequently thrusting her Cast right into the middle of her depiction. Her attention to detail is impeccable, and the way she merges actual news footage from the event with the Film’s recreations is superb. Beans is filled with scenes that are tragic and genuinely heartbreaking to watch, each one emphasizing the despicable racism these Indigenous communities were subjected to because they wanted to fight for their land rights. Deer does not even pretend to sugar coat any of it. Everything presented in Beans feels very real and very authentic, and so closely mirrors the actual news footage from 1990, not to mention from the present day, that it becomes downright frightening to comprehend.

For how great the Film looks and how awful it will make you feel to know that something like this happened (and is STILL happening), it would all be for nothing without Beans herself. We get to see the world through her eyes – and the young Kiawentiio is absolutely spectacular in the Leading Role. She captures the optimistic spirit of a typical 12-year-old and expertly conveys the trauma she has to endure because of the standoff. I think some of the tonal whiplash the Film goes through puts her at a disadvantage in some instances (and a particular extended moment in the Third Act drags the Film out needlessly), but she handles nearly everything with grace and an expert precision that extends beyond her years as an actor. First-time actors Violah Beauvais – as Beans’ younger sister Ruby – and Paulina Alexis – as Beans’ friend April – are cast perfectly and complement Kiawentiio’s beautiful performance. If anyone can even come close to matching her, it is Rainbow Dickerson as Beans’ mother Lily. Her vivid emotions are devastating to watch in action, and I doubt I will forget any of those visceral expressions any time soon.

BEANS screens at TIFF ’20 as follows:

Sun, Sep 13
TIFF Bell Lightbox
12:00pm and 12:30pm

Tue, Sept 15
Online at Bell Digital Cinema
6:00pm

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

Pieces of a Woman is an intimate portrait of a couple who experience the greatest loss. Martha (Vanessa Kirby) and Shawn (Shia LaBeouf) are passionately in love and eagerly expecting the birth of their daughter. When the night arrives, they learn their Midwife is busy with another client and a different one is sent. Unfortunately, complications arise with their home birth and the couple is sent spiralling into heart-wrenching tragedy.

Director Kornél Mundruczó shoots this outstanding Film with unflinching honesty. He is known for putting his characters under immense pressure. His use of long, continuous takes in pivotal scenes creates a real authenticity, us watching as scenes unfold in real-time and the result is both agonizing and gut-wrenching for the viewer.

The Film’s opening sequence lasts for 30 minutes. It consists of long takes following Martha, Shawn and their Midwife (Molly Parker) around their house — spanning from her first contractions to her delivery. This scene perfectly shows the love which Martha and Shawn share, and their desire to welcome their baby girl. We are immersed into the pressure cooker that becomes their house and in witnessing Martha‘s extreme difficulty, we get the unsettling sense that something isn’t right. Under Mundruczó’s masterful direction, this scene becomes a sweeping emotional journey and the sets the stage for what are some truly powerful performances.

Kirby is magnificent as a woman grappling with grief, while her body and family constantly remind her of what she lost. She commands each scene with powerful actions and controlled expressions. Most impressive, she finds that delicate balance in Martha’s newly hardened heart and her vulnerability. LaBeouf gives one of the greatest performances of his career. He is at his best drowning in Shawn’s grief and is desperate for Martha‘s love and affection again. While often we see this from a woman’s perspective, the Film gives us a genuine snapshot of what it might be like for a man.

Kirby and LaBeouf even though their characters are so different, have a palpable chemistry that makes us fall in love with them. They’re portraying a couple who are facing the biggest challenge in their relationship. Thanks to their strong chemistry we are invested in their love and are devastated when we see it crumbling. They are joined by a talented Supporting Cast. Parker is great portraying the anxiety of a Mmidwife during the home birth and expresses her unspoken guilt so well in the Third Act, within the courtroom. Ellen Burstyn is superb as Martha’s overbearing mother, always making her presence felt but especially in a confrontation between her and Kirby.

Pieces of a Woman is difficult watch, but it’s one that will change you after seeing it. Screenwriter Kata Wéber has written a beautiful, heartbreaking Script that’s about surviving after the most horrifying loss. She does this by allowing us to check-in with her characters once a month, fall to spring. This shows us the changes happening within and outside them as we watch them grow in their own ways. Time heals the pain and the Film captures this process so beautifully. And Wéber reminds us that a woman is comprised of infinite pieces which only she is able to break and rebuild again.

Pieces of a Woman screens at TIFF ’20:

By David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong

Alex (Félix Lefebvre) is out sailing off the coast of Normandy when his boat capsizes. By chance, David (Benjamin Voisin) happens to be sailing by and offers to help him. There is an instant spark between them, and David quickly offers Alex a job to work at his mother’s nautical store in town. But as their friendship grows into something deeper and more intimate, it becomes clear that they both have their own expectations of the relationship.

When I read the initial descriptions of François Ozon‘s Summer of 85, it immediately evoked memories of discovering the Oscar-winning Call Me By Your Name back at TIFF ’17. Much like that film, Summer of 85 is filled with gorgeous, sundrenched visuals of European vistas and the handsome young men who inhabit them during the 1980s. The nostalgia for this carefree era practically pulses through the Film’s veins. The colours are washed out and dreamlike, with pastels highlighting nearly every frame of the Film’s breezy 100-minute running time. The chemistry between leads Lefebvre and Voisin feels dreamlike as well, palpable and vivid in every way. The young actors only have a handful of credits to their names, but the strength and emotion they bring to these characters suggest wisdom well beyond their years of acting.

And the way the Film uses Rod Stewart’s “Sailing” in two key scenes is haunting and beautiful. It becomes practically transcendent.

Saying all that, Summer of 85 is far from perfect. The Film’s story is a jumbled mess, with a constantly pivoting tonal structure that never feels satisfied. It is meant to feel dreamlike, mysterious and above all else, nostalgic, but ends up feeling bewildering and completely inorganic much too often. Young love is in itself, a wild and chaotic experience – but the Film does not even feel like it properly taps into that. Worse, the motivations and characterizations are minimal and non-existent for most of the Supporting Characters. They seem to exist simply to move the Plot along from point to point (which is particularly odd for one central character who should be substantially more important to the plot than they actually are). Even the motivations for Alex and David are simplistic at best and never fully drawn-out. I am not sure if this is all intentional or not, but it takes away from so many of the great things the Film has going for itself. It is still enjoyable to watch, but there was potential for it be so much better.

SUMMER OF 85 screens at TIFF ’20 as follows:

By David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong

Cole (Caleb McLaughlin from Stranger Things) has been expelled from his Detroit school for fighting. With nowhere else to go, his mother drives him to stay with his Dad, Harp (Idris Elba), for the summer in North Philadelphia. Cole does not really know him, and is not aware that Harp spends his time caring for the horses with other local cowboys at the stables down the street. With few options available, Cole starts working at the stables during the day and spends his nights hanging out with his drug-dealing friend Smush (Emmy-winner Jharrel Jerome).

My central issue with Concrete Cowboy is how exhausting and longwinded it feels. Does Staub want to focus on Harp, his fellow riders and the urban cowboy subculture they are a part of, or does he want to focus on the strained relationship between Harp and Cole? Or should the focus be on Cole and Smush’s friendship and the dangerous path it is leading towards? The Film never seems content enough to settle on one through line, and spends far too much of its 111-minute running time jumping between all three of these Subplots and the assortment of intriguing but underdeveloped characters that populate them. Worse, Staub shoots the Film with handheld, digital cameras and no tripods. So no matter what is happening in the scene, the camera is always shaking and never steady. It is certainly an eclectic choice for a Film like this, but it makes watching it an increasingly frustrating experience.

Concrete Cowboy is an admirable debut feature from Co-Writer/Director Ricky Staub. He tells a story about a subculture few of us were aware of previously, and he strives for authenticity in every frame. The story is personal and his direction reflects that. Elba is not the lead here, but he is just as rock solid and dependable as he always is – and he looks wicked riding a horse (is there anything he cannot do?). McLaughlin holds his own against him and does a great job as the Film’s Lead. He digs down deep into Cole’s psyche, playing into his confused, emotionally fragile state with ease. He is keenly aware of the expectations the audience has of him as a Child Actor in one of their favourite Netflix series and is all too pleased to subvert and flip them around entirely.

As the Credits roll, we are treated to brief talking head clips from the real life cowboys starring in the Film discussing the challenges that urban development and gentrification have created for them. The clips are far too short, but their words are fascinating and illuminating. I found myself immediately much more interested in what was happening, and then really disappointed when they ended so quickly. Why this was not the immediate and only focus of the Film?

CONCRETE COWBOY screens at TIFF ’20 as follows:

Sun, Sep 13
TIFF Bell Lightbox
9:00pm

Mon, Sep 14
Online at Bell Digital Cinema
6:00pm

Sat, Sep 19
TIFF Bell Lightbox
9:00pm

By Mr. Will Wong

She’s been nominated for Oscars, juggling Writer, Producer and Director caps and TIFF was fortunate enough to have Ava DuVernay appear virtually for an In Conversation With… tonight with TIFF‘s Artistic Director and Co-Head, Cameron Bailey. DuVernay reflected on her career path which has included many firsts including being the first ever black female Director to be nominated for an Oscar with 2014’s Selma.

On the success of Netflix Documentary 13th which looks at the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which outlawed slavery:

“Though you’d think it would be Selma and A Wrinkle in Time, most people know me internationally for 13th as those two didn’t get a wide release.”.

On the impact of Netflix‘s When They See Us. Bailey let DuVernay know that No. 1-ranked Tennis Player Naomi Osaka has been wearing masks donning the names of black people whose deaths have been named in protests against racial injustice. She was inspired by the DuVernay-created, written and directed Mini-Series.

“Did she do that really? This is a story of Black Criminalization. The idea black people are inherently criminal. It doesn’t matter that Cameron Bailey is the Maestro to one of the biggest Film Festivals in the world. He’s a black man and he will be suspected for whatever’s gone wrong within a two mile radius. This is ingrained in our systems. When you can find a story that allows you to interrogate this – like this particular story – about five boys and how young they were and their story was catapulted to the top of the news in the U.S. What did they do? Are you sure? Should they stop resisting? Where were their parents? All those questions make the victim accountable for a crime against them. As much as Trisha Meili (the victim) was traumatized, these boys and all their families were traumatized. When you convict one person, we see the tentacles of that accusation on a family and a generation. Making a five-hour Movie was an adventure, but a forum I really embraced because it allowed us to tell this story from boys to men and how the system applied to every stage of their lives.”.

Bailey asks DuVernay how she feels about this age of using image and video as evidence.

“We’re able to use it to further our cause, but it’s always been used as that. You saw white folks who’d go to lynchings and see bodies hanging as entertainment. Martin Luther King – and I wish I had time to name the rest – all the people who made Selma and the Civil Rights Movement happen. They all did it before cameras so that it could be talked about by following generations.”.

“Images bear witness to tell the story to change the story. We have to make sure it’ts not used as propaganda and is used for truth-telling and protection. I look forward to using image in a fashion not to state that we matter, as much as I’m an advocate and participant in the Black Lives Matter movement. I’m resentful we even have to say the words. Images help that conversation be had. Hopefully, we can keep looking at these things and get to a time when it’s not needed.”.

On balancing real-life trauma with her own vision:

“Asking people to relive a tough time in their life is difficult. But to be able to get them to participate, say their truth, see the Script, be on-set and look at Editing Room material – to be involved in a progressive way – helps them to recreate the process so it’s not so traumatic when they see it on screen and so they feel it’s part of their story.”.

On casting Toronto’s Stephan James in Selma:

“A friend of mine had seen him as a side character in something else. We couldn’t find his agent or the kid. Aisha Coley (Casting Director) found the kid and the agent, and the agent didn’t call back. We are down to the wire to cast this and we needed to see him. We say it’s for Selma and it’s Canada and they don’t know what that is! We get him on tape, off to Atlanta and he’s spectacular and sublime. He’s beautiful and eager and gave a great performance. I just see him and go ‘My little Stephan!’.”.

On creating a creative space:

“I’m always welcoming you into my space, ‘Come on in, this is my space!’. I expect everyone to treat the space with respect and others with respect. This is space we’re sharing, it’s like our home while we’re shooting. These are Mama’s rules and stay within rules you’ll be just fine. I believe in just being welcoming to people and being kind from Actors to Crew to Executives.”.

On “safe spaces”:

“We’ve progressed from 5, 10 years ago. You put the onus of nervousness on them. You didn’t do anything. We need to change our perspective on these things and not see yourself as a victim, but a victor. I went into a meeting where I was the only one like me and asked, ‘How many women, how many black people, are there any indigenous people?’. These are questions I need to know if i want to participate. Put the onus on those people who keep things looking one way and not on us.”.

In addition to producing a Netflix Series with Football star Colin Kaepernick which will be shooting in the next 4-5 months, DuVernay has series of Warner Bros. projects to come. Her Series Queen Sugar is now shooting with Crew and Cast having moved back to new Orleans.

(Photo credit: TIFF)

By David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong

It is World War II and WAAF officer Maude Garrett (Chloë Grace Moretz) has jumped aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress as a last minute addition. The all-male crew are hesitant to let her stay, but she has orders to fly with them and keep her classified cargo safe. They force her to ride in a ball turret below deck, isolated on her own – and her mind may be playing tricks on her with the things she is seeing in the shadows.

I want to say more, but I fear that would spoil some of the outrageous and preposterous thrills that Co-Writer/Director Roseanne Liang has in store for Moretz and the rest of the crew. Liang plays with genre conventions throughout Shadow in the Cloud’s zippy 83-minute running time, never seeming keen to stay categorized in one box for too long. It morphs wickedly from a white-knuckle claustrophobic Thriller to a full-blown wartime action picture at the drop of a bullet, and then sprinkles in some Horror elements on top for good measure. The CGI is spotty in far too many cases and the genre mashup does not always work as intended (a MacGuffin reveal is a bizarre swing that left me bewildered), but the Film is wildly-entertaining in the many instances when it does.

As long as you prepare for multiple genre swaps, Shadow in the Cloud is quite a bit of fun. While I wish the Film was not being hit with a minor controversy over its writing credits, I feel the bigger disservice is that Covid has robbed us of the experience of seeing Shadow in the Cloud at its proper haunt, Ryerson with a Midnight Madness audience. I know in my bones that they would have eaten this Film up, and I chuckled when it became obvious what and where the reactions might have been. Hopefully, it gets to play to a big crowd like that another day.

Nick Robinson (Love, Simon and Jurassic World) has a blast as a gunner on the ship, but Moretz is the one who takes hold of the screen and never wavers. She is simply marvelous in the scenes in the ball turret, really selling the anguish, fear and determination her character is going through. She is vividly-expressive in these scenes (which take up a substantial portion of the Film’s first half), and she carries them into the absolute chaos of the Film’s second half. Her wonderful balancing act more than makes up for some of the plot contrivances and the minimal character development.

SHADOW IN THE CLOUD screens at TIFF ’20 as follows:

Sat, Sep 12
Visa Skyline Drive-In at CityView
11:59pm

Sun, Sep 13
Online at Bell Digital Cinema
6:00pm

By Mr. Will Wong

Following-up on her Oscar-winning work in If Beale Street Could Talk, Regina King makes her Feature directorial debut at TIFF ‘ 20 with ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI, which though set in the past, still asks very timely questions facing the world today.

The Film is set one night in February 1964 uniting real-life friends and icons Cassius Clay (Eli Goree), Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.), and Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir) as they celebrate the former’s win in the boxing ring, crowning him Heavyweight Champion of the World. What ensues is hard-hitting dialogue which digs deep into some of the issues facing their community and where they stand in the big picture as important figures.

Based on Kemp Powers‘ Play of the same name, King is working with some tremendous talent with this Ensemble and with these great minds within the confines of a swanky hotel room, discussions get intense, heated and at once humorous. Clay is about to be renamed Muhammad Ali and is about the announce to the world that he has converting to Islam, but not without some hesitation. Brown after a successful career in Football, is about to accept a role in a Western film which would lead to a successful acting career with high-paying roles. Cooke navigates his world as a Pop Star, but is longing to sing about something more meaningful. Malcolm X as a prominent figure of the Civil Rights movement and Spokesman for the Nation of Islam, is about to get assassinated.

The Film poses some thought-provoking discussion within the Black community about how the world is perceived differently between those who are light-skinned versus dark-skinned; what it means for a Black Entertainer to be paid well when it comes at the cost of their dignity and their community; or what it means to be revered publicly, but not to be welcome into someone’s home because of the colour of one’s skin.

One poignant scene in particular has Ben-Adir‘s Malcolm X in a chilling plea to his brothers that still resonates to this day amidst the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement. He states that there is no more room for standing on the fence anymore with black people dying on the streets every day. “Either you stand on this side with us or that side against us”, he says. Another moment in the Film talks to White Privilege and how a black person is expected to feel indebted to a white person who wasn’t horrible to them. This falls in-line with the current thought that it isn’t enough to be “nice” and that what is required is that we be actively be Anti-Racist.

King succeeds largely in this superb first Feature, giving us a tightly-written and directed Film which while set almost 60 years ago today, has some uncannily-relevant messaging that needs to be revisited today.

ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI screens TIFF ’20 as follows:

By Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

At just age 26, Saoirse Ronan has managed to become one of the top Actors of her generation. She got nominated for her first Academy Award at the age of 13 for her work in Atonement. Since then, she’s been nominated three more times. 

Her talent is undeniable as seen through the unforgettable mix of characters she’s brought to life on-screen over multiple genres, such as survivor Hanna, homesick Eilis, uninhibited Lady Bird, and Writer Jo Marsh.

Her latest role has her starring as a grieving Charlotte in Francis Lee’s Ammonite. It follows Palaeontologist Mary Anning, played by Kate Winslet, who cares for Charlotte while her husband leaves for work. The two build an undeniable bond and fall in love. 

Today, she joined Canadian Novelist Anne T. Donahue for TIFF’s In Conversation With… Saoirse Ronan.

On where home is to Ronan:

“It’s less of a physical location for me. I think that’s always been the case. I have tried to find it in a place or country, but now I’m older and I realize there are a few core people. That is my home.”.

On becoming an Actor:

“When we moved out to Ireland my dad was working on a film and they needed someone and I was added into it. I didn’t really want to do it. I was a quiet kid. It was this weird Art House film where I was half-human and half-clown. *laughs* And I said, ‘No, that sounds terrible. I don’t want to do that.’ But he wanted me to. So I did it. I was 6, 7, or 8. From the moment I got on set I really loved it. I really liked the discipline matched with the play aspect.”.

On when she knew she wanted to be an Actor:

“It wasn’t until I was 12. It was when I was doing Atonement. I loved that. And I knew that that’s what I wanted to do.”.

On Brooklyn:

“I was a wreck. An absolute wreck. I was 20, so hormones were all over the place. I moved to London at that time. I did Brooklyn in the middle of that transition. And I went back to where I grew-up. I hadn’t been there in years. It represented a past time in my life that I will always be connected too, but was moving past. I think what made it overwhelming was that it was a severe meeting of two worlds. My home life, where I went to school and wasn’t an Actor. And this new stage in my career which was me starting to lead as a woman, and it was an Irish woman. I was just thinking, ‘I have to get this right.’ I was completely terrified. I never felt aware of the camera in a negative way or ever felt that it had paralyzed me. But I was feeling like that a lot in Brooklyn. But it ended up being such a special film for me to do. That Film gets to me in a way that nothing else I have done has. It was an honour to tell that story.”.

On Lady Bird:

“It’s not about her [Greta Gerwig] life. But she did grow up in Sacramento and she was in a theatre group. And I think we both wanted to be more like Lady Bird. But we were both more like rule followers. I didn’t mind being influenced by the way [Greta] was. But I couldn’t just carbon copy .

On her Activism:

“I don’t consider myself an Activist. I think it would be unfair for me to say that. We (Actors) are a mouthpiece for the people who actually know what they’re talking about. That’s how I’ve always felt about. I’ve met a lot of people who support incredible causes and are passionate and hardworking about it. And I’m kind of like everyone else asking, ‘What can I do? What do you need me to do to spread that message further?’ I think there are a lot of people who do far more than I do.”.

On Timothée Chalamet:

“[In Lady Bird] we only had a few scenes together. I always knew he was special and magnetic. We are very different people and in our approaches to work. I remember we were on the way to set and were talking about our families and normal stuff. We always felt very comfortable with each other. He’s American and European as well. We sort of were able to tap into that. On Little Women, that’s where it felt more like a collaboration. We had these lengthy scenes where we would ebb and flow performance-wise. He’s someone I want to continue to work with.”.

On Ammonite:

“I think it’s a luck of the draw whether you get to work with someone who you click with. Kate and I had met and just got on straight away. I think a big part of that is her because she is friendly and open. One of the good things about the junkets and awards season is getting to meet a lot of wonderful people in the mix of the madness. So, I met her a couple of times doing that stuff. And then this came around and she was a real supporter for me doing it. We were just really lucky we got on straight away. Two women getting to come together, and with more of the intimate scenes and being able to choreograph the love scenes ourselves was great. Especially with Kate.”.

On taking on so many roles:

“I don’t work as much as other people. I’m at a place at the minute where I don’t need to run into a job just to work. I think because I’ve been doing it for 16 years or more now. It’s very important that I don’t burn out or kind of lose the love for it. It’s important for me to protect the bond with my work that I have.”.

Our Review for AMMONITE can be found here.

(Photo credit: TIFF)

By Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

J Blakeson’s dark Thriller follows a legal Conservator with insidious intentions. Marla (Rosamund Pike), along with her life and work partner Fran (Eiza González), have created a despicable business of defrauding their elderly clients. Their newest target is the rich and unassuming  Jennifer (Dianne Wiest). After lying to a judge in an emergency hearing, claiming Jennifer has Dementia, Marla gains guardianship of her. However, Jennifer isn’t who she appears to be. Marla and Fran quickly realize they are messing with the wrong woman.

This could have been a Drama about seniors being taken advantage of by the state and appointed guardians. But thankfully, it’s a lot more than that. Blakeson adds a mafia storyline which turns this Drama into a Thriller.

At the forefront is Pike  who delivers her best work since Gone Girl.  She excels as the icy Marla. Being an Antagonist, she finds herself battling against an Antagonist of her own, that being Crime Lord (Peter Dinklage) who has close ties with Jennifer. Dinklage is outstanding as a Gangster who will stop at nothing to get his mother back and away from Marla‘s control. The Film’s shining moment is when Pike and Dinklage come face-to-face and we witness their shifts in power.

I Care A Lot is a cautionary tale about the corrupt web of elderly abuse. We don’t get to see these feminist characters as this in leading roles nearly enough, but we sure wish we did.

I Care A Lot screens at TIFF ’20 as follows:

Sat, Sep 12 9:30pm
RBC Lakeside Drive-In at Ontario Place

Sun, Sep 13 6:00pm
Online at Bell Digital Cinema

By Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

Francis Lee’s latest takes us to 19th-century Dorset. It follows real-life Palaeontologist Mary Anning (Kate Winslet) as she searches the coastline for marine fossils. She spends her days alone, walking the shore and helping at her mother’s tiny shop. Soon she finds her solitary life becomes upended when she’s asked by another Palaeontologist to care for his melancholic wife, Charlotte (Saoirse Ronan). In need of the money, she agrees. Gradually, Mary and Charlotte grow close.

Lee does an amazing job shooting the Film in a show-don’t-tell way. There is limited dialogue throughout. Instead, he creates scenes where the weather, objects and characters actions speak volumes. This becomes integral in escalating visually the blossoming love between Mary and Charlotte. In the First Act, Mary is rightfully angry and curt, while Charlotte is mourning the loss of her child. The beautiful coast’s weather parallels their emotions. There are overcast skies and violent waves attacking the coastline. As they spend time together, the clouds clear and the waters calm.

Ammonite is more than a period-Romance. Lee focuses on the work of the incredible Mary and the theme of women taking ownership of their work. During the 19th-century, no Scientific Society would take-in a woman. No matter how hard and astounding Mary’s work was, she was excluded. However, there were male Scientists who were interested in learning from her, being the best in her field. But in the end, they knew she was in need of money. So, they would pay her for what she found and put their names on it. In focusing on this, Lee enhances his Script with a love story involving ownership and class.

Mary loved and lived for her work. It didn’t matter that in doing so, she wouldn’t be part of the upper-class. However, Charlotte is part of the upper-class. It’s here that conflict arises in their relationship. So many times, we have witnessed a forbidden same-sex romance. Although that is at play here, Ammonite focuses on their differing upbringings and that divides them no matter how badly they want to be together. Once again, Lee shows us this instead of telling us. He places his characters on opposite sides of Mary’s glassed sea-creature on display inside the British Museum.

With the talent of Winslet and Ronan in the Film’s lead roles, we are expecting greatness, and they do not disappoint. Winslet is always dynamite. Here, she gives one of her strongest performances. She encapsulates the anger Mary has for having to sell her work and her vulnerability when falling in love with Charlotte. Ronan gives a performance like we’ve never seen from her before. She’s strongest in portraying Charlotte’s grief and her desperation to keep Mary close to her. Their raw emotion feels authentic and honest, especially in their love scenes that are shot meticulously and delicately. And with minimal screen time, Fiona Shaw captivates as a previous love of Mary’s.

While at times it lags a little, this period-Romance which fuses Gender Politics and Classism, is made-up for with stellar performances, particularly by Winslet.

Ammonite screens at TIFF ’20 as follows: