Review: 'The Danish Girl' focuses on the wrong protagonist
Lili Elbe (Eddie Redmayne). (United International Pictures)
Marcus Goh is a Singapore television scriptwriter. He’s also a Transformers enthusiast and avid pop culture scholar. He Tweets/Instagrams at Optimarcus and writes at marcusgohmarcusgoh.com. The views expressed are his own.
Secret ending? No.
Running time: 120 minutes (2 hours)
“The Danish Girl” is a semi-biographical film based on the novel, “The Danish Girl,” which itself is based on the life of Lili Elbe, one of the first recorded recipients of sex reassignment surgery. It follows the life of Einar Wegener as he slowly embraces his identity as Lili Elbe. It stars Eddie Redmayne (Einar Wegener/Lili Elbe), Alicia Vikander (Gerda Wegener), Matthias Schoenaerts (Hans Axgil), Ben Whishaw (Henrik), and Sebastian Koch (Dr Warnerkos). It is rated R-21.
“The Danish Girl” is ostensibly about the trials of Einar as he tries to become Lili, but it’s really more about how the people around him cope with the consequences of such a change. Hence, it’s the other characters who seem more interesting than him. Part of this is because it’s difficult for the most of the general public to relate to Einar/Lili’s circumstances, but it’s easier to feel a connection to the people around him. It also comes across in the performance - how do you portray such a niche character in a way that relates to everyone?
Gerda Wegener (Alicia Vikander). (United International Pictures)
Highlights
Haunting melodies
The music enhances Einar’s confusion and fear when he starts realising that he wants to be Lili, especially when he’s gazing at himself or the female form, and imagining himself to be a woman. The eerie refrain helps build the unease in those scenes, givinging us insight into Einar’s feelings.
Sense of pity and horror
The music not only creates a sense of horror at what’s happening to Einar, but also a tinge of pity in us as we know that he’s trapped and alone in his own nightmare. We might know what he’s feeling, but we don’t understand the why or how of it. It is this alienation that leaves us with both fear and sympathy for Lili.
Alicia Vikander is the true protagonist of the story
Einar Wegener’s wife steals the show as she’s there every step of the way with him. Whereas Einar/Lili is passive, being guided by emotion and events, Alicia is proactive. She takes steps to assist her husband and to support him. Even in the face of temptation, she remains the dutiful and stoic wife. Her husband’s transformation into another person is what forces her to grow, giving her an admirable and compelling growth arc.
Hans Axgil (Matthias Schoenaerts). (United International Pictures)
Letdowns
Set up for Lili Elbe is very clunky
The lead up for Einar’s motivation to become a woman feels artificial. We’re treated to multiple lingering shots of Einar feeling womanly, which is too on the nose. The lack of subtlety makes the whole set up feel repetitive and forced, especially since you’ve probably come into the film knowing what the premise is.
Comes across as multiple personality disorder
The constant references to Einar and Lili in third person are just strange. It confuses the issue between personality and gender identification, making it about two warring characters rather than a need to feel complete. The way Lili talks about Einar is borderline psychotic, and just serves to cement the idea that they are two different people fighting for one body, rather than a person transiting into another identity.
Eddie Redmayne looks like a frightened doe all the time
When he’s not preoccupied trying to act coquettish, Eddie Redmayne looks like a deer caught in the headlights. He pulls this expression for almost every reaction shot he has, quickly making it trite. Even though he’s going through a traumatic phase in his life, it’s no reason to pull the big-eyed, trembling look for each emotional scene. The overuse makes it almost comical by the end.
Einar Wegener (Eddie Redmayne). (United International Pictures)
The real hero in “The Danish Girl” is Alicia Wegener rather than Einar/Lili, and the show would benefit so much more if it were shot from that perspective.
Should you watch this at weekend movie ticket prices? No.
Should you watch this at weekday movie ticket prices? OK.
“The Danish Girl” opens in cinemas 7 January, 2015 (Thursday).
