The Critic *****

Starring : Sir Ian McKellen, Gemma Arterton, Mark Strong, Ben Barnes, Alfred Enoch, Romola Garai, Claire Skinner, Nikesh Patel, Jay Simpson, Rebecca Gethings and Lesley Manville

Director : Anand Tucker

Duration Running Time : {approx} 1 Hour 35 Minutes

Certification Rating Certificate : 15

Distribution : Lionsgate, True Brit Entertainment, Compulsion Films, BK Studios, Fearless Minds, Seven Stories

The history of 'THEATRE CRITICISM' is also classed as rich and varied, therefore reflecting the 'EVOLUTION' of theatre itself.

Here what follows are some key important points:

EARLY BEGINNINGS : THEATRE CRITICISM in general has roots in 'ANCIENT GREECE', where playwrights such as 'ARISTOPHANES' would in fact 'CRITIQUE' societal forms and also politics throughout their plays.

However, 'FORMAL THEATRE CRITICISM' as we know it had also began to take much shape later.

18TH CENTURY : The rise of the opinionated essayist in Britain, had in fact marked the beginning of more structured theatre criticism.

Many 'FIGURES' that are situated in their field like Richard Steele and also Joseph Addison had began to write about the 'THEATRE' in their periodicals, by simply focusing on the moral and also the social implications of their original plays.

19TH CENTURY : This period also saw the 'PROFESSIONALIZATION' of theatre criticism. Many theatre critics like Leigh Hunt and also William Hazlitt had also transformed dramatic criticism into a more durable art form.

They also had provided 'DETAILED ANALYSES' of many performances and also actors such as Edmund Kean.

20TH CENTURY : The 20th Century, in question, had also brought a more 'DIVERSE RANGE' consisting of many critical voices and also the styles.

Many 'THEATRE CRITICS' such as Kenneth Tynan and also Harold Hobson in the UK, as well as Harold Clurman and also Eric Bentley in the US, had also combined a unique personal observation complete with a broader social and also a political blend of a unique commentary.

THE MODERN ERA : Today, the art of theatre criticism has in fact expanded to include 'ONLINE PLATFORMS' and also 'SOCIAL MEDIA', allowing for a 'WIDER RANGE OF VOICES' and also a 'MORE IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK'.

However, the unique core principles of detailed analysis and also a contextual understanding will always remain central to the practice.

And then there was Sir Ian Murray McKellen 'CH', 'CBE', (born May 25 1939), an English actor, born in Burnley, Lancashire, and also with a unique career spanning more than 60 years, he is uniquely noted for his roles on stage and screen in all 'genres' ranging from 'SHAKESPEARIAN' dramas and also modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction.

McKellen in question, is regarded by many as a British cultural icon, and was 'KNIGHTED' by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991.

He has received at least 'SEVERAL NUMEROUS ACCOLADES', including a 'TONY' award, 'SIX OLIVIER' awards, and also a 'GOLDEN GLOBE AWARD', as well as 'NOMINATIONS' for at least 'TWO ACADEMY AWARDS', 'FIVE BAFTA AWARDS', and also at least 'FIVE EMMY AWARDS'.

McKellen had achieved 'WORLDWIDE' fame for his film roles, including 'RICHARD III' (1995), as the titular King, 'GODS AND MONSTERS' (1998), as James Whale, the English film director, actor, and also theatre director, the 'X-MEN' movies (2000-2020) as Magneto, and also Gandalf, the 'protagonist' wizard featured in 'THE LORD OF THE RINGS' (2001-2003), and also 'THE HOBBIT' (2012-2014) trilogies written by J.R.R.Tolkein and directed by Peter Jackson.

And now McKellen, in question, is back on the big screen in 'THE CRITIC' a British period thriller, directed by Anand Tucker, and also (loosely) written by Patrick Marber, the screenwriter of 'NOTES ON A SCANDAL' (2006), directed by Richard Eyre, is classed as a psychological drama featuring Award-Winners Dame Judi Dench plus Cate Blanchett and which also is adapted off 'CURTAIN CALL' - the original novel by Anthony Quinn, the novelist and not the actor and also originally published back in 2015, plus Quinn in question, happens to be a former film critic of 'THE INDEPENDENT', a daily newspaper.

The film in question, is set in London, in the 1930's, - 1934 - to be exact - at a time when ''work lunches'' were classed as extremely long and also extravagant, and where living in the city and also working on a newspaper on a salary at the time were was easy, while many actors and also directors were banging on your front door seeking reappraisals, plus many people during this time were dressed up smartly having 'pre-dinner with drinks before entering into the West-End theatres to see many shows, although there is also a dark side in this other side of the East End and where many men wearing the 'BLACKSHIRTS' on the streets and also supporting Sir Oswald Ernald Moseley, '6TH BARONET', who was also a British politician 'MP' and also rose to fame during the 1920's -1930's had become disillusioned with mainstream politics turned simply to fascism and had also originally founded the 'BRITISH UNION OF FASCISTS' - 'BUF'.

However, in today's society that many film critics (including yours truly) are in fact faced with the daunting task of many comic book fans that are complete with pocketful of slurs - but also that none will ever hold the same power or even the respect as they once did.

But that this is also a movie which is all about 'POWER' (no not the electricity supplied in your establishments - but also that its the ability or even the capacity to do something - or even act in a particular way - ie: the power of speech such as everything that I will do in my powers of concentration or even influence the behaviour of others - during the course of events) as McKellen luxuriates the role of Jimmy Erskine, a long-time theatre critic, working at 'THE LONDON CHRONICLE', and whose unique position working for the newspaper is threatened after the death of his former editor and mentor, and who's also been replaced by David Brooke (Strong),a Viscount, who by the way, is also his more conservative son, and that even more importantly happens to be in question, only the new owner of the newspaper and who also tends to rebrand the original publication of the newspaper (think 'THE DAILY MAIL') - for a unique more 'FAMILY FRIENDLY AUDIENCE' and also which leaves very little time for Erskine, described as both a brutish theatre critic - and also is a gay exhibitionist - who's on the verge of being outed in a time where the crime of being homosexuality alone - is 'ILLEGAL'.

But also, that in order to save his own skin, that Erskine, in question, soon manipulates Nina Land (Arterton),the actor that he's always written about with disdain, into a scheme that begins in blackmail and also ends in murder.

Land in question, is classed as a struggling actress, as a leading lady but also that the sense of urgency that I anticipate from her original unique character - by simply saving her career - and also her unique private life never manifests - and that I simply also share her unique sorrow at what could have been as she traipses with a moderate and also a surprisingly likeable lunacy into her unique drunken - and also - her short-lived - final act.

Land is also having an affair with Stephen Wyley (Barnes), a fashionable portrait painter and also the son-in-law of Brooke, while Cora (Garai), his wife is simply classed as an icy antisemite, in tune with the upper classes Moseleyite mood.

Meanwhile, Brooke himself simply neglects Mary (Skinner), his wife, simply because that he has a gloomy tenderise for Nina, and which only that Erskine sees just how he can only exploit.

It's also classed as a darkly comic premise, by simply making up of the old cinematic conceit of the critic in question as some kind of a puppet master who's in charge, in control, and also rules your lifestyle (though you wouldn't know it yet - anyway) not forgetting with little regard for mere mortal laws - and also the moralities.

However, when Annabel (Manville), Nina's mother, tries to strike up a casual conversation with Jimmy and who's also disguises herself as an average theatregoer, Jimmy then storms up to the manager's office and cries out by stating the following - 'I must be protected from the general public' !.

This in question, is also a juicy part for McKellen, exactly the kind of a legendary thespian (which he certainly is) and who simply makes a barb about Nina seemingly not knowing on how walk sound like a 'THREE COURSE MEAL' available at your local restaurant establishments, but that he in question, also seems to be the only one who actually sees Jimmy as a unique person, and also not nearly a narrative device.

Marber's previous work, which also includes the 2004 adaptation of 'CLOSER' his original play - and which also became a movie produced and directed by Mike Nichols featuring Jude Law, Julia Roberts, Clive Owen and Natalie Portman - Nichols had also directed 'THE GRADUATE' back in 1967, featuring a very young Dustin Hoffman as Benjamin Braddock, a disillusioned college graduate who finds himself torn between Anne Bancroft (Mrs Robinson - his older lover) and also featured Katharine Ross (Elaine - the daughter of Mrs Robinson - her mother) plus it was sprinkled with a sparking soundtrack courtesy of Simon And Garfunkel - aka Paul and Art - with an additional music score by Dave Grusin - who you would normally associate with working on Robert Redford movies.

Anand Tucker, the film's director, has uniquely created something of a visually striking that it can also equally can in fact ''HOLD ITS OWN'' against many period giant pieces as the jewel-toned lighting and also intense, nearly tactile contrasts of a unique architecture and also the costuming in this had not only stayed on my mind for many hours after I saw this in a multiplex cinema on opening day (Friday) around early lunch time (12.20 pm) and where only around 'SIX PEOPLE' (including myself for the very 'FIRST PERFORMANCE SHOWING') attended after seeing it - and there are also nods to the resurgence of romanticism in the modernist art scene London and also Europe punctuate scene after scene calling on many period icons like Tamara de Lempicka, Gerald Leslie Brockhurst, and also Marguerite Kelsey and there are also two key scenes in this which I'd like to point out - the first of which involves the two leads that are set around a bathtub where the surrounding architecture is so loved - and that it simply begs to be painted - while the second involves law-breaking sex romps around dusk in a park - that has shades of George Michael, an English-singer, songwriter, and also a philanthropist, and that who on April 7, 1988, that Michael, in question, was arrested for 'engaging in a lewd act' and situated in a public restroom at the Will Rogers Memorial Park, in Beverly Hills, California.

Michael was arrested by Marcelo Rodriguez, who's an 'undercover policeman' in a unique ''STING'' operation - ( this simply means that in 'LAW ENFORCEMENT' - a ''STING'' operation - is also classed as a 'DECEPTIVE OPERATION' that's designed to simply ''CATCH A PERSON - WHO'S ALSO ATTEMPTING - TO COMMIT A CRIME).

However, in an MTV interview, Michael, in question, had stated the following:

''I got into the restroom and then this cop - I didn't know it was a cop, obviously - he started playing this game'' - which is certainly not broadcastable - and also that's as far I'm concerned for this publication - though you''ll probably know about it - anyway, - but the moral of the story is simply this - that if you're a high profile star such as Huw Edwards, a disgraced newsreader and also Jay Blades, star of 'THE REPAIR SHOP'' (wonder if his status as a star is unrepairable ) - but both of these worked for the BBC - then the chances are simply this - that although they in question had built up a reputation once - and now their star status has crumbled and that their once golden crowns have simply tarnished into rust - because in a way - they simply f***** it all up - just for publicity - and also that is the unique price that you personally paid from starting as a ''wannabe'' - and ending up as a unique 'has-been'.

Naturally, the character of Erskine steals the show with McKellen at the helm, because after all - its his movie - but also that the cinematic lens shot in a wide-screen format appears so inconclusive that on its own perception of the character in question - and that there is som much splendor to have McKellen back on the big screen again and that the many fans of the legendary actor in action always gives his fans (including yours truly) the full treatment of performing on the big screen where he truly belongs.

This is in fact a unique strange adaptation in some ways : as Marber in question changes Quinn's original plotline, but also keeping the main characters in question - while at the sometime also removes a 'serial killer' who's lurking around the darkest of streets that are situated in London - and also reassigning the unique villainy involved - but also on a less obviously violent level - elsewhere.

But also that Marber actually Erskine (the main character is in fact much nastier character in the film as you would expect and rather the original book, removing more than the lovability from the lovable monster of many theatre critics.

And yet the film in question, has an unique odd glow of dramas that are shown around teatime (say for example 'MIDSUMMER MURDERS') when a certain Granny Ridgway announces to her many circle of pedigree chums that she's simply found a miracle (no she hasn't mixed up her 'MIRACLE GRO' that's sprinkled on top of her head and also wondering will it ever get rid of her unique grey hairs to her 'LADY GRECIAN 2000' which she squirted it on her plants)- 'SILLY WOMAN' - also that other items of these original products are also available - by referring to as simply 'THE MEANING OF LIFE' and also simply thinks to herself that's she's turned into a Miss Marple character - by disguising herself as Dame Margaret Rutherford - and also searching more than just her ''marbles'' - that are located in her saggy old worn-out handbag that she originally purchased from Primark - other goods stores are also available - when she's simply 'on the job' - lurking around the grounds of her personal establishment - in her silk dressing gown - and also searching more than just her torchlight - that's simply located - in a delicate place, but that the burning question is simply this where does she hide her unique items ? - the answer is quite simple that you really do not want to know -because only 'SHE KNOWS' where its secretly located - in her department, but also that this unique period drama of a British made movie can't ever bring itself to show that it was that way back during the 1930's, murders that were originally committed then were classed as punishable by death.

However, that McKellen, who classes himself as the star attraction of this film, overrides these unique concerns as far back that in April 2024, McKellen had originally starred in 'PLAYER KINGS' as John Falstaff (the show itself runs at an amazing 'THREE HOURS AND FORTY MINUTES' or 220 Minutes and which does include an 'INTERMISSION' - but that this in question is also 'AN ADAPTATION' of William Shakespeare's 'HENRY VI - PARTS 1 & 2') at the Noel Coward Theatre, situated in London's West End - and also had received 'RAVE REVIEWS' - (following 'ADVANCED PREVIEWS' at both the 'NEW WIMBLEDON THEATRE', Wimbledon, London, and also 'THE OPERA HOUSE', situated in Quay Street, Manchester City Centre).

Now the 'THEATRE PRODUCTION' in question, was in fact scheduled to run until June 22, 2024, before touring to the following cities - including Bristol, Birmingham, Norwich, and also Newcastle-Upon-Tyne.

However, it was also during the performance on June 17, 2024, that McKellen in question that McKellen had 'FALLEN OFF THE FRONT OF THE STAGE' - during a 'FIGHT SCENE' - and had also called for assistance; - (as you do), and that as a result as well as a precaution - that 'THE ORIGINAL PERFORMANCE' was 'CANCELLED' - and also that the original audience who attended - were dismissed.

He was also later to have recovered - and also to be - ''in good spirits'' - but that he also subsequently ''pulled out'' of the remaining ''WEST END'' and also the 'TOUR' performances on medical advice.

McKellen's golden star as an actor - has star quality and also dash makes him as the only possible casting - and that this makes his importance as the critic in question - rather ''critical''.

THIS IS REGARDED AS ONE OF THE FINEST BRITISH FILMS THAT YOU'LL EVER EXPERIENCE ON THE BIG SCREEN FEATURING MCKELLEN - WHO AS EVER IS HIS 'GREATEST MASTERPIECE'.

DON'T MISS IT !

David M.G.Mitchell