Albert Nobbs may be the only movie in existence in which it is germane for the actresses to show their tits. Albert Nobbs is about a woman disguised as a man in 19th century Ireland in order to make a living at a Dublin hotel and not risk rape. She lives a quiet and lonely life until she realizes that she can expect a more abundant life when she encounters someone who lives similarly. Albert Nobbsmakes a friend and begins to dream of the future, which is when things go awry.
Albert Nobbs is as much about the titular character and how she keenly sees those around her-the hotels’ patrons, owners and colleagues, which is why I didn’t buy a certain plot twist. Her friend is a sexual being and has a sexual orientation, but Albert Nobbs dressed as a man to desex herself, not because she likes women. Even in her dreams, she is in disguise, and I never bought that the character would risk safety by exposing herself to someone who makes the disguise more convincing even as an illusion of a happy home life, for companionship or out of sympathy in order to save someone else. Albert Nobbs never seems sexually attracted to her intended and vice versa so I didn’t buy that Albert Nobbs would risk anything for her after 30 years of safety. If I squint, I can buy it if the adage is true that people get frozen at the age when abuse starts. Albert Nobbs is a 14 year old who dreams of marriage, but doesn’t know what marriage actually is.
Albert Nobbs’ cast is brilliant, including of course, Glenn Close. Janet McTeer and Bronagh Gallagher steal the show. It was the first time that I’ve seen Mia Wasikowska play a normal woman. We only get a few seconds of the smoldering Jonathan Rhys Meyers in a rough draft of his later Dracula performance. Brendan Gleeson is probably the most decent character outside of the titular character and her friend. Game of Thrones’ Michael McElhatton appears briefly, but don’t worry, no one dies because of him. I’m not sure if Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s performance or the direction that he received was uneven. Initially his character is sympathetically defiant, and then he becomes an unsympathetic cliche.
Albert Nobbs is an uneven story. If the moviemakers faithfully adapted the author’s work, then it is not their fault. Albert Nobbs isn’t a must see, but if you’re interested in the subject matter or are a fan of the actors, Albert Nobbs would not be a waste of time.