The Talented Mr Turner

Acclaimed director Mike Leigh has an array of impressive films to his name. And _Mr Turner _is no exception when it comes to his expert craftsmanship. It is a hugely ambitious biopic, one that covers decades of an eccentric artist’s life, packing the narrative full with rich, colourful settings, memorable characters, and a deep, poignant view into the protagonist.

The titlerefers to J. M. W. Turner (Timothy Spall), an English Romantic landscape painter, and Leigh chooses to focus the film on his later years. He is an eccentric figure to say the least, and quite the contradictory one, too. His close relationship with his father William, (Paul Jesson) who essentially acts as his assistant, is a family connection he cannot live without. This is put to the test when the old father eventually falls ill and passes away. But when his mistress Sarah Danby (Ruth Sheen) turns up with their daughters, he refuses to acknowledge them, despite their best efforts to connect with their distant father. Sheen is terrific and ferocious, and despite being in only two brief scenes, makes her mark with a stunning supporting performance.

In fact, a lot of Mike Leigh’s regular actresses are back to give it their all. Marion Bailey is simply delightful as Turner’s landlady/later lover Sophia Booth in Margate, Lesley Manville proves she can do just about anything that is pushed her away, playing the Scottish scientist/mathematician Mary Somerville, and a part of what makes the final moments so devastating is down to Dorothy Atkinson’s wonderful portrayal of Turner’s forever-loyal housekeeper Hannah Danby, who is suffering from psoriasis, a disease progression which is well captured throughout the film. Turner does what he pleases with Hannah, using her sexually whenever he feels like it, and yet she remains devoted to her master. What she receives in return is next to nothing, and she is constantly around in her silent existence, which makes her role all the more heartbreaking. Even the young Joshua McGuire has his scene-stealing moment of the year, hilariously taking over the role of a pompous, over-privileged youngster who fancies himself as a bit of a pretentious art critic, much to the dismay of Turner, the painter himself.

But this truly is Spall’s show through and through. In what can only be described as a career-crowning performance, his Cannes Best Actor winning role should be scooping up a BAFTA for sure, and if lucky, an Oscar nomination, which will be a first for the veteran actor who has not yet had the exposure in the States that his talent deserves. He reportedly practised painting and Turner’s mannerisms for two years. And with this he creates something transcendent. It really is that good. Every grunting noise, crying face, subtle movements of his eyes, his mumbling, grumbly voice, they all add up to Spall giving the most unforgettable performance you will see this year.

Aside from his unusual personal life, Turner’s dedication to his craft, and his endless need to paint whatever fascinates him plays a huge part in the narrative. Interested in shipwrecks, fires and storms, there is a particularly memorable, jaw-dropping moment where Mr Turner ties himself to a ship in the midst of a storm. That he ends up with the flu afterwards comes as no surprise, but he gets a magnificent painting out of it. And that, for him, is job well done. Even in a very poorly state, he insists on heading out to get a quick sketch into his book, despite objections from the concerned Mrs Booth.

Overseeing this all is Leigh himself, who captures some brilliant portrait-like landscapes that you will be gobsmacked to learn are, in fact, captured on film. The film flows flawlessly from year to year, not having to give specific yearly timestamps of any kind, but instead relying on how the various characters have aged and changed over the course of the film’s running time. And yes, the 150-minute length may seem like a lot to take in, but when anchored by such a masterful lead, it will be easy to be completely caught up in the colourful, eventful life of Mr Joseph Mallord William Turner.