Vashirdfel Simply A Masterpiece

VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

AnhartLinkin This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

Humaira Grant It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

anetteberntsson Wonderful and heartbreaking.One of the best performances by Glenn Close

Matthew Luke Brady Albert Nobbs: "Life without decency is unbearable".The story is about a woman who struggles to find independence in 19th century Ireland and poses as a man so she can work as a butler at a top hotel. When she meets a painter it gives "Albert" the chance she needs to escape the lie she has been living.Albert Nobbs has been described as an Oscar bait movie that's only purpose of existing is to win prizes, and while I do agree it is a bit Oscar bait and the movie itself is quite forgettable, but I'll be lying if I say there wasn't anything good in it. Compare this to other Oscar bait movies we've had in the past, this one isn't that bad or pretentious. Glenn Close was unrecognizable in this movie. I really bought into her playing a man and it's not just by the make-up that sold the effect off, but the tone of her voice, the movement and the overall performance created the effect perfectly. I'm so shocked that Glenn Close has never won an Oscar yet, as she's been non-stop impressing me in every she's done (including this one). Glenn Close was absolutely outstanding in this movie. The make-up, the costumes and the rest of the cast were all great. These's not a single bad performance in this movie. The staging and the scenery was spot on. Sadly I wish the whole movie was great, but keep in mind that I don't think Albert Nobbs is a bad movie but the movie falls into the cliché gender or sexuality problems that every Oscar bait movie dose. Now I have seen many movies that dose focus on the gender and sexuality issues and the movies themselves were great, because those movies never tried the 'Give me awards' kind of movie, they were good movies and I could easily watch them again as a film, but movies like Albert Nobbs are the type of films that I'll only watch once and never again.Overall Albert Nobbs has fantastic performances from everyone, great make-up and scenery. Unfortunately the film itself isn't what I call "great", just forgettable and it sucks saying that since I know a lot of effort went into this movie.

bregund I remember reading somewhere that Glenn Close has been playing this character on stage for thirty years, and it certainly shows in her performance. Close vanishes so completely into her character that in some scenes, you forget that it's her. It's easy to watch this film simply for the novelty of wondering how a woman could successfully pass herself off as a man, but after the novelty wears off you're exposed to the grayish layers of her marginalized existence, constant fear of being discovered, and what must be unbearable loneliness, all characteristics which Close portrays through her simple facial expressions and even her bodily movements, as she walks around the hotel performing mundane servant's tasks. It's difficult not to feel some sympathy for her simple desire to operate a small tobacco shop and get married to a woman, an idea planted in her head by a towering painter who shares her secret. But her simple desire for domestic bliss is doomed not by her secret, but because she is incapable of demonstrating affection; for Mr. Nobbs, marriage is a philosophical construct, not a conjoining of souls. The end of this film is unbearably sad, made doubly so by a financial injustice that leaves a sour taste in the mouth. Despite Close's brilliant performance, the film feels flat; perhaps it's best viewed as a character study, since it seems bereft of story.

Jackson Booth-Millard It was only following the awards season that I found out about this film properly, because the leading female star was nominated Best Actress at the Academy Awards, and she had previously played the part of the title character on stage, so I was most interested to see it. Basically set in the 19th Century in Dublin, Ireland, eccentric middle-aged Albert Nobbs (Oscar and Golden Globe nominated Glenn Close) works at the Morrison's Hotel as a wait run by stingy and controlling Margaret 'Madge' Baker (Pauline Collins), and working he is hard working and hopes to own a business one day so saves his money. Apart from working with colleagues and serving the customers and owner's family he is all alone in the world, but then Mrs. Baker hires Hubert Page (Oscar and Golden Globe nominated Janet McTeer) to paint the hotel rooms, meaning that he will have to share a room with the new man, but he is not happy about this at all. The reason for this is because Albert hides the secret that he is actually a woman, and Hupert discovers this, and all he can do is beg him not to reveal it to anyone else, this agreed, but Albert worries in certain situations that others know the secret. He realises the issue is not a problem when Hupert reveals his own secret as well, he is a woman as well by exposing her big breasts under a pad, like Albert has, but also Hupert shows him that he can lead a different life if he so wanted to. Knowing that Hupert is married to wife Cathleen (Bronagh Gallagher) who supports everything he does, Albert sets his sights on young flirtatious co-worker Helen Dawes (Mia Wasikowska), unaware that she is already seeing sly fellow co-worker Joe Mackins (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) in a sexual relationship. Joe sees Albert's attempts to woo Helen as an opportunity to take advantage of his generous nature, so she agrees to his requests for walks and days out, and he buys her some things, but this seems only like friendship courtship. Outside of doing this Hupert and Albert spend some time together, embracing their true selves, including going out dressed in the gender guises they are, and the butler still sets his sights on putting a deposit on a shop to setup his tobacco and café business. In the end though Albert finds out about the deception by Helen and Joe, and it is after the big argument between them that he suffers a hard hitting head injury, and this eventually kills him, and in the end his money is stolen by Mrs. Bates, and Hupert helps out Helen who has been left by Joe and may be pregnant. Also starring Brendan Gleeson as Dr. Holloran, Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Viscount Yarrell, Brenda Fricker as Polly, Maria Doyle Kennedy as Mary and Mark Williams as Sean Casey. It is odd that you have to treat Close as a man when you know the character's secret, but on the other hand it works out fine, she gives a sympathetic and captivating performance, and in her scenes Janet McTeer is equally interesting to watch as the other working body hiding her true gender. The reason for the female character dressing as a man seems to be to make more money and perhaps have more independence, it may have been good to see her beginning the process or trying more hectically to hide it, but the story has the mix of lightness, labour and secrecy works well enough, a not bad period drama. It was nominated the Oscar for Best Makeup, and it was nominated the Golden Globe for Best Original Song for "Lay Your Head Down" (lyrics written by Close). Worth watching!