Empire of Light, directed by a British filmmaker with a track record of both
successes and disappointments, centers around Hillary, a woman who manages an
art-deco cinema and struggles to maintain relationships beyond her job and an
affair with her boss.
When a new employee, Stephen, arrives, they bond
over a shared passion for cinema and soon their relationship becomes romantic.
However, their relationship is tested as Stephen faces the increased nationalism
and hate speech of the early 1980s.
While the film touches on important themes, it never quite manages to fully
develop its characters or ignite any real interest, resulting in a forgettable
historical romance. |