MR. TURNER

On general release from yesterday, I was really looking forward to this much awaited new Mike Leigh film about the life of the artist, JMW Turner-Billy to his family-well known for his marine landscapes and his watery sunsets. Timothy Spall's depiction of the character is full of depth, humour, bad temper, love, loss, sex,, meanness and pathos, but at times he does overdo the grunting.
        The narrative starts with Billy already a well established painter at the Royal Academy, doing commissions for the gentry and the aristocracy. He takes two years over a painting for the Queen, who doesn't like its wishy-washy effects. In later work his colleagues at the Academy think his defused sunsets are down to his failing eyesight.  His relationship with his father, who he calls 'Daddy', is very moving and we learn that Billy was abandoned by his mother, who he describes as a 'lunatic'. His relationships with his wife and grown up daughters are mystifying. He denies their existence. He has sex with his niece and assistant, who clearly adores him. But why does the actress play the character like Baldrick from BlackAdder?
        I love Mike Leigh's work and the actors he uses is like a repertoire company of old friends. They are all very adaptable and quirky. His strength is in his characters;their feelings and relationships. But in this film, like some of his others, his weakness lies in the overall  lack of tension, and some of the narrative feels repetitive and in need of editing.
        I would have liked to have known more about Turner's earlier life, his struggles and the influences on him. I think more may have been made of his relationship with Constable. Who was the painter Hayden who he has an on-going barney with? I'd never heard of him. The best bit that gave me insight into how Turner was able to put truthful emotion, experience and passion of the elements into his sea/skyscapes, was seeing him strapped to the birds nest of a sailing ship in a Force ten gale in winter.
      I would definitely recommend the film that no doubt will win Timothy Spall many accolades. Apparently it took seven years to make, and during that time Spall learnt to draw and paint for the part.  Mr Turner is in cinemas now.