2020 BFI London Film Festival Review: SUPERNOVA

Supenova is a rich character drama with a pair of wonderfully emotive performances from Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci. The pair really impress in this exceptionally well-honed drama from writer-director Harry Maqueen (Hinterland). The plot of Supernova may be slight, but it’s the journey that matters and not the destination and Macqueen ensures sure it’s one which is well worth taking. 

Firth and Tucci play Sam and Tusker, a pianist and novelist who have been together for 20 years. Tusker has been diagnosed with early onset dementia and the pair are travelling across England to say a final farewell to old friends and family. 

Poignant and emotive, Supernova is a beautifully crafted film which resonates. Maqueen’s script and direction sets the film on a wonderful course and the relationship between Sam and Tusker is exceptionally well-drawn. You believe in this relationship – the opening scene where they bicker over directions expertly sets-up their history and their characters. 

Firth and Tucci have never been better and the pair share some brilliant chemistry as the couple facing an uncertain future. You understand these men and you can feel their fear and uncertainty as they struggle to deal with Tusker’s dementia. It’s heartbreaking stuff, but there are pockets of humour littered throughout. 

A richly-drawn character study with deft performances from Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci, Supernova tackles a tough subject but it does so in a very sensitive and thoughtful way.