Mr Turner

MR. TURNER (15)
D: Mike Leigh
Focus Features/Film4/Lipsync/Thin Man (Georgina Lowe)
UK/France/Germany 2014
150 mins

Biopic

W: Mike Leigh
DP: Dick Pope
Ed: Jon Gregory
Mus: Gary Yershon


Timothy Spall (J.M.W. Turner), Dorothy Atkinson (Hannah Danny), Marion Bailey (Sophia Booth), Paul Jesson (William Turner), Lesley Manville (Mary Somerville), Martin Savage (Benjamin Haydon)

Mike Leigh's biopic of eccentric 19th century artist J. M. W. Turner is as pretty as a picture, with fine cinematography and production values, as well as solid performances from Timothy Spall and the supporting cast.
Following Turner in the last 25 years of his life, after he had painted his most famous works, the story itself is quite boring, with some of the pacing at a near standstill, and doesn't quite justify it's running time.
Exceptionally made it may well be, but it's not amongst the noted director's finest work. If this was a book, it wouldn't be a page turner.
6/10

Timothy Spall in Mr Turner
Timothy Spall in Mr Turner