Despite being nominated for two Academy Awards, Sally Hawkins is one of Britain’s most under-appreciated actors. Whilst those turns in The Shape of Water and Blue Jasmine were both brilliant, they’re merely a couple of examples of her ability. Which she’s demonstrated repeatedly, not least in Tipping the Velvet and Fingersmith for the BBC and also in the likes of Happy-Go-Lucky and Made in Dagenham. In Craig Roberts’ new film, Eternal Beauty, she gives another great performance.
Jane (Hawkins) is perfectly normal, or at least she thinks she is. However, after being dumped at the altar the young Jane’s (Morfydd Clark) mental health spiralled out of control; leading to a complete breakdown. Now, living alone, she tolerates her two sisters. Alice (Alice Lowe), who is obviously being cheated on by her husband and Nicola (Billie Piper), whose life in a series of mistakes. She’s never lonely though, there are the voices to keep her company.
Eternal Beauty is an unusual spin on mental illness which takes paranoid schizophrenia and flips normal perceptions on their head. Roberts follow-up to the impressive Just Jim features an extremely talented British cast, which are an absolute joy to watch. Hawkins is the undoubted star though, both determined and fragile. Whilst it doesn’t always entirely come together, Eternal Beauty is an eccentrically assured piece of film-making.
Eternal Beauty is out in cinemas on 2 October.
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