It does feature gorgeous photography from Roger Deakins, who is a total rock star. Otherwise, you get to see Olivia Colman’s Hilary work at a movie theater, fall for a younger black colleague (Michael Ward), suffer a few schizophrenic episodes and then heal by basking in the glorious experience of cinema. There were no doubt good intentions here, Mendes is a more-than-decent filmmaker, but why must we endure this movie? What was the point of it, exactly? It starts off quite well, actually, effectively setting up a luminous 1980s English seaside setting, well-drawn characters and an impeccable atmosphere. However, by the second hour you realize that this character piece has nowhere to go. In fact, “Empire of Light” turns into a promo for well-kept, old-school palace-like cinemas. The healing power of movies, they can cure your mental illness and make you rethink life, is what Mendes essentially says. Maybe it’s something that Academy voters might take the bait on. Contribute Hire me
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