Review: ‘Supernova’ (2020)
CW: This article briefly mentions homophobia and the HIV/AIDS crisis.
This is a spoiler-free review.
Supernova, written and directed by Harry Macqueen, is a straightforward, modest story that follows Sam, a concert pianist (Colin Firth) and his partner of twenty years, Tusker, a successful writer diagnosed with dementia (Stanley Tucci). Tusker has had dementia for two years now and his condition has worsened, so he plans a holiday with Sam to drive across the Northern English countryside in an RV with their dog. We experience partnered life secondhand with our protagonists as they bicker about car navigation, camp out, stargaze, eat at diners, and visit friends and family.
The couple eats dinner at Sam’s family’s home, and Tusker is about to make a speech. As he stands up and prepares, Tusker loses focus and timidly hands his written speech to Sam to read for him. As he sits back down, in less than ten seconds, Stanley Tucci releases an impressive variety of emotions ranging from embarrassment to anger at himself and his condition, entirely with his facial expression. He has no lines in this specific moment, but there is nuance behind those black-framed glasses. Colin Firth performs Sam quite well in his own right as the supportive and exhausted half of the relationship; Firth manages to disappear into this character. In scenes with little dialogue, Firth eloquently communicates Sam’s anger toward reality, as well as his anger toward Tusker. The time spent being angry is time wasted, and by now, Sam probably knows this. It’s a confusing and horrible situation to be in, and, as Tusker says, “It’s like mourning someone who’s still here”.
The plot is simple, but it doesn’t need to be more complicated. The very concept of sharing a life with somebody is complex in itself, and the complexities of our protagonists are mostly well-communicated through performance and subtext. The most negative criticism I would say for Supernova is that Harry Macqueen’s work as screenwriter and director are both fine — not exemplary or masterful, though not necessarily poor film making by any means. The dialogue is competent, though it actually feels like the actors do most of the heavy lifting. There are no particularly memorable or subversive quotes, and the approach to blocking with each scene feels standard. The naturalistic cinematography (by Dick Pope) is beautiful even if, at times, too dark. At 95 minutes in length, a sizable fraction of the runtime is dedicated to prolonged landscape montages and location shots. But in its own concise way, the simplicity of this story works. This brief, compact piece might serve terrifically as a one-act play.
Supernova is outstanding in that it is an LGBTQ film devoid of its protagonist’s “being different.” Without question, Sam and Tusker are already accepted in the world of the film and are treated like any heterosexual couple might be. There is no homophobic family member or bigoted stranger, or tragic subplot that stems from being gay. Sam and Tusker are allowed a story that does not have to be about facing adversity. It is worth noting that both characters would have been young adults in the ’80s and ’90s, a generation devastated by HIV/AIDS. During this era, approximately 85% of those living with HIV/AIDS were 20–49 years of age. Decades later, those who survived the crisis from this age group (60+) are left highly underrepresented in film and television. As my own partner pointed out, there are hardly any films about older gay people as it is. This isn’t to say Supernova has to have anything to do with the AIDS crisis. It’s actually refreshing that this film portrays this generation and has nothing to do with such a disease commonly connected to LGBTQ storylines. What Sam and Tusker face isn’t a gay tragedy, and their homosexuality isn’t the main focus of the story — it’s Tusker’s dementia. Like any partnership might, Sam and Tusker age together and face an existential challenge that takes a toll on their decades-old connection. I would love for more gay actors to be allowed to play these types of roles, but Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci at least give gripping emotional performances, and I am invested in the love shared between these two by the finale. In the end, Supernova is a truly heartwarming and sweet little film.
Supernova is available to rent on Amazon, AppleTV+, and YouTube.
