SUPERNOVA

Directing: B+
Acting: B+
Writing: B+
Cinematography: B+
Editing: B+

There’s something pleasantly naturalistic about writer-director Harry Macqueen’s dialogue in Supernova—at least, until it turns inevitably heartbreaking. He immerses us into the decades-long relationship between Sam and Tusker (Colin Firth and Stalney Tucci), introducing us to them as they drive an RV through the beautiful English countryside, embarking on a sort of last-hurrah road trip. The first thing we see is them bickering like an old married couple—instantly reminding me of my own grandparents, who spent nearly two decades of their retirement traveling full-time with a travel trailer—because that is essentially what they are. And the things they talk about are very typical and trivial, but it’s so well written, and instantly gives us a sense of them as individuals, that it is both compelling and a kick to listen to. Again, just like it had been with my own grandparents.

Sam and Tusker do not have children, though, and thus no grandchildren either; they do have a preteen niece, who clearly looks up to them, whom we meet when they briefly visit the house of Sam’s sister (Pippa Haywood). They have a dog, who travels with them, and also a bit of am emotional albatross: they are taking this trip with the full knowledge that it will be their last while Tusker is fully lucid. Tusker has been diagnosed with early-onset dementia.

So yes, this is another one of those movies about an older couple dealing with memory loss. The key difference here is that the couple in question is gay, although that fact is almost entirely incidental to this story. And it is indeed heartening to see more movies about topics that are not inherently related to sexuality but the main characters just happen to be gay. It also helps that Firth and Tucci are very close friends, and though the actors are straight, their closeness almost certainly informs their performances.

The more pertinent difference between Supernova and other movies like it is how the entire story stays within the framework of the person losing his memory still having most of his memory. This is the story of a man who knows full well that his memory is slipping, and is tortured by it.

And Macqueen allows us to spend a lot of time with them before the the emotional turmoil becomes fully clear. This is an effective storytelling strategy, given how much fun it is to hang out with Sam and Tusker. Anyone would be so lucky to have them as their uncles—or brother and brother-in-law, or whatever. Supernova gives us a sense of what is getting lost, before the loss has fully occurred. This is very much a drama, and even a bit of a tearjerker by the end, but you’ll also get several good chuckles out of just hanging out with them for a while first.

A whole lot of the narrative follows them as they drive along English country roads, offering some beautiful cinematography, wide open spaces to contrast with the intimacy between Sam and Tusker. Not much in the way of sex per se, but with the exception of a surprise party sequence, the vast majority of Supernova is just these two main actors. And they carry the film with exemplary strength and sensitivity.

Things do take a slightly more dramatic turn in the end, but not enough to keep this film from succeeding as a quiet and moving meditation on love and loss, and particularly grieving someone who is not quite gone yet. Anyone who has dealt with dementia of any kind in their family can relate. Supernova might feel a bit to slight for some, but it had more than enough depth to keep me moved.

There but for the grace of stardust go I.

Overall: B+