Gemma Arterton And Sir Ian McKellen Star In 1930s Period Drama, The Critic
Love a good period drama? Gemma Arterton, recently seen in Disney+’s crime thriller Culprits is starring in an upcoming British drama set in the 1930s, where she acts opposite Sir Ian McKellen in a story about critics and the theatre world.
She plays a rising actress who seems to have the potential to become highly successful- but she becomes entangled in a messy situation with a renowned theatre critic and his editor. Here’s what to know about the new film, out this week.
What is The Critic about?
The film is set in London in 1934, with Nina Land (Arterton), an up-and-coming actress with a potentially bright future in the acting scene. But everyone in theatre has one big fear- the harsh and often scornful eye of Jimmy Erskine (McKellen), a critic who isn’t afraid to voice his opinions and leave blistering reviews for the paper The Daily Chronicle. His success though is left in the balance after the owner of the paper dies, and is replaced by his son. David Brooke (portrayed by The End We Start From actor Mark Strong) holds different ideas and values from his late father, and begins to clash with Erskine’s way of doing things.
The critic’s opinions and general behaviour are seen to be too much for Brooke, especially when he puts out a review with Nina in the crosshairs- a savage critique too far. Having been given the sack, and with his career on the line, Erskine writes a totally different review full of praise for the actress and promises that she can become hugely successful. In return, however, she has to pay him back by fulfilling a favour, which the film’s synopsis says will have “devastating” consequences. The trailer introduces us to Erksine and his critical words- with Nina noting that he’s compared her to “livestock, creatures of the sea and an extinct bird”. While he’s quickly reined in and threatened by Brooke (“anyone who threatens the reputation of this newspaper is an undesirable”), Erksine quickly surmises that he can use Nina to put pressure on the paper owner and bend him to his advantage.
What else do I need to know?
In addition to McKellen, Arterton and Strong, The Critic also stars Lesley Manville (The Crown), Romola Garai (Becoming Elizabeth), Ben Barnes (Shadow and Bone), Nikesh Patel (The Devil’s Hour) and Claire Skinner (Outnumbered). It’s also based on the book Curtain Call, written by Anthony Quinn and released in 2015. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and hits UK screens on 13th September, 2024.
