Supernova

Written and directed by Harry Macqueen is this story of love and fear of loss. Sam (Colin Firth) and Tusker (Stanley Tucci) are a loving couple travelling around England in an old camper van, visiting family and friends and looking to find ways to deal with Tusker’s worsening dementia. Tusker a writer and sanguine about his fate, Sam a pianist trying to come to terms with it and be strong. Their trip an attempt to make the best of the time they have before Tuskers health deteriorates to far.

This is not a film to make you happy, it is dealing with a difficult subject and the impact of a horrible disease that leaves a shadow of the person the sufferer once was. It is patient and thoughtful in its exploration and doesn’t look to grandstand. As Tusker says it’s the little things he finds hard and that subtlety is captured throughout.

Supernova is about Sam and Tusker, while a host of other characters turn up and play a part they are very much secondary to its stars. And that’s OK, because Firth and Tucci are two very fine performers who deliver very fine performances. They portray a loving relationship beautifully through the bickering humour and tenderness of the opening act. But that makes the second half of the film such a tough watch as we see with increasing sadness the realisation of Tuskers fate.

If it has a downside it is its predictability you always know where they are heading but you don’t overly mind as as the characters are a pleasure to spend time with which makes watching their story unfold so much harder.

Supernova is a tender caring look at love and loss, carried by two beautiful central performances. While not the most original film, you enjoy spending time with the characters, caring about them and sharing their pain. And that’s all you ever want from a film, to care, and it gets that right.