Review: ‘The Danish Girl’ tells powerful story with two wonderful performances

Posted on January 8, 2016

By MARK VIOLA

Although he has been acting for some time, it would still be accurate to say Eddie Redmayne burst onto the cinematic landscape last year with his transformative performance as Dr. Stephen Hawking in “The Theory of Everything.”

And now he’s back again, with an entirely different but equally transformative role in “The Danish Girl,” directed by Tom Hooper (“The King’s Speech,” “Les Misérables”). The film tells a fictionalized account of Danish artists Gerda (Alicia Vikander, “Ex Machina”) and Einar Wegener (Redmayne) and Einar’s transition into Lili Elbe, undergoing one of the first known gender transition surgeries in the 1920s. The story is based on the 2000 novel of the same name which changed many details of Lili’s life and invented many characters out of whole cloth.

Hooper has proven to be an accomplished director–this could become his third consecutive film to earn a Best Film nomination–and “The Danish Girl” is buoyed by the excellent performances of Redmayne and Vikander, who will both almost assuredly receive their own nominations. There is a quiet restraint to how the film is presented, with beautiful cinematography and a wonderfully emotional score from Alexandre Desplat (“The Imitation Game,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel”).

“The Danish Girl” doesn’t tell a true story, but it does tell a good one, and one presented with a deft touch and wonderful performances.

The film is rated R for some sexuality and full nudity.

(This is a abbreviated version of the full review available in our printed or e-edition papers.)

 

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