The Theory of Flight

Sometimes, when you grow weary of all the glamorous! American style movies, you look forward to seeing one from Europe that does not deal much with the art's technological aspects but the story and the feelings alone. I have thought that "The Theory of Flight" was a film of emotions and atmosphere. Honestly, I think it was planned to be that way. Unfortunately, the result was not satisfactory. K.B. and H.B.C. are great, I can't ignore their invaluable contributions to the movie. But I feel something was lacking. The characters were not deeply analysed maybe, or the situation of being "cripped" was mentioned better in other films (remember "My Left Foot"). In the 15. minute of the movie, we have learned that Jane was desiring to lose her virginity like normal people. And the story finished! Nothing else. The remaining portion just concentrated on this matter. How about Richard's own problems, Anne's point of view on having a daughter like Jane? In fact, we don't understand Jane's feelings, too. We just make guesses depending on our knowledge of other movie characters. I finally must say that seeing K.B. and H.B.C. together in a movie was nice. They play their roles very well. But as a whole, "The Theory of Flight" is a shallow movie. It should have been better with these players and this interesting story.

At the start, this one is from England, so, of course, I had 98 % chances that it will be intelligent and very good cinema. I never heard of this film before. From the minute I saw Helena Bonham-Carter, I said to myself : Oh! Here's comes the feminine version of My Left Foot. I was right, but I was also wrong. Wrong because the two movies are very differents. My Left Foot was a John Ford alike movie and this one is a Chaplin alike movie (not because this is funny, but Chaplin at that great sense of melodrama that brings tears to your eyes.) I was right because in 1990 handsome Daniel Day-Lewis turn a little bit ugly by playing an crippled person and he did it with a great sense of reality. Here, very beautiful Bonham-Carter did exactly the same thing, but with very feminine emotions. The story is well written and it's very intelligent. For me, miss Bonham-Carter gives one of the greatest woman's part of the 1990's, with Emily Lloyd in Breaking The Waves. Gee! And look at her eyes! She had the most beautiful eyes of cinema since Jobyna Ralston, Louise Brooks, Michele Morgan and Ava Gardner! She's also a true talent, as seen on many other movies. See this one, you won't regret it! And a very fine job by Branagh too!

I had my doubts about another love story wherein disabled individuals find meaning and redemption through honest communication. And it's still not at the top of my list. But the performances from Helena Bonham Carter and Kenneth Branagh and exemplary, almost stunning, and rescue this from being just another tear-jerker. Carter's depiction of an ALS victim is strong, perhaps even overdone at times (sometimes her dialog dissolves into undistinguishable mutterings). But the overall effect is commendable and rewarding. Branagh may be the perfect compliment to her performance.

Yes, I know everyone is sick of the typical sick-dying-person-of-the-week drama, but somehow this movie was drastically different from other movies based on physically challenged people. The driving force in the movie is no doubt Jane, a young woman who faces the fact that she shall die soon. (Bonham Carter) I am a veteran of pictures which feature a dying character with a physical disability. But those films somehow never got the character to seem like a person. After a while, Jane isn't a "sick cripple", she is a human, just a human in a wheelchair. That is all the viewer will see from Bonham Carter's portrayal. Another beautiful quality of the film is Jane refuses to be mushy and over-emotional. It is what she refuses to show that really hits home. Branagh's character Richard should not be overlooked. It's his story more or less. Jane brought Richard's redemption. He is the cripple of the story, he is the one who is dying. "Taking flight has more than one meaning"..Jane utters to Richard. "The Theory of Flight" is an original movie which I recommend to anyone looking for a fresh look on a dying person, whether you see the dying person as Jane or Richard.

Despite its low-key release in this country, and its apparent disregard in other countries (the 'R' rating in the States can't have helped - honestly, just because HBC uses the C-word!), this is actually a fine piece of work. The sentimentality does occasionally threaten to choke it, but it's overcome by the playing of the two leads.

It's easy to win plaudits just because you're playing a physical or mental cripple (Daniel Day-Lewis, Geoffrey Rush, Dustin Hoffman, etc.), and Helena Bonham-Carter may not quite capture the physical degradation of MND, but her vocal stretching and ruthless emotional drive compensate entirely. In fact, almost all her performance is conducted through her eyes (and what eyes!). This is an intelligent turn from an actress who is rapidly undoing her English Rose reputation, and emerging as a figure of some stature. Awards must surely follow, though not, alas, for this fine performance.

Branagh, one feels, has never quite given his best on film (except possibly 'Hamlet', and there his playing was diluted by the large cast). Here, though, he tops his other appearances, playing to the hilt a self-loathing, unstable, ultimately lovable guy with a subtlety he hasn't always displayed, and exhibiting both intelligence and depth. In short, we believe him, just as much as we could NOT believe him as Frankenstein, as the priest in 'The Proposition', as the lawyer in 'The Gingerbread Man', even as Andrew in 'Peter's Friends'. This is surely his finest performance yet - so why could he not produce the goods much earlier?

As a film, it looks more like a television offering, and without its stars it probably wouldn't amount to very much. But it's been a pleasure to see this pair perform their socks off like this, and I eagerly await more from them (though not 'Love's Labour's Lost'...). 8 out of 10, but Branagh and HBC get 10 out of 10.