Director Tom Hooper has developed a habit of adapting important figures and events from history and dramatising them into a television miniseries or full length feature film (Elizabeth I, The King’s Speech). In The Danish Girl, he tackles the subject of gender reassignment surgery, as he loosely tells the story of Lili Elbe, the first to undergo the dangerous and life changing procedure.
A poignant and often bleak exploration of sacrifice, love, and society, The Danish Girl never truly reaches its peak due to an uneven script that prevents it from becoming an instant classic. Thankfully, Eddie Redmayne and Alicia Vikander provide sensationally confident performances that keep the momentum going, and both are completely deserving of the widespread critical acclaim they have received since the films release.
With his slight frame and impossible cheekbones, Redmayne is fascinating as Lili, portraying her with an endearing vulnerability and heartbreaking insecurity when she first discovers who she really is, but soon develops a ruthless selfishness as she realises that she never wants to go back to who she used to be. However, Alicia Vikander steals the show as wife Gerda, the sultry yet under-appreciated painter who is soon faced with a difficult choice; does she sacrifice her love for her husband in order to support him to find true happiness within himself, or does she cling on to the man she fell in love with who may never come back? Redmayne and Vikander work brilliantly together, and both will touch your heart with their emotionally gut wrenching performances.
Copenhagen in 1926 is beautifully recreated, and near flawless set designs and costumes will keep your gaze throughout. Slow, graceful shots of scenery, such as the opening sequence of Danish wilderness, and wide shots of grand hallways and in particular one magnificent library, are visually stunning and provide The Danish Girl with a very unique feel.
Where The Danish Girl struggles, however, is in its script, which is uneven and feels, at times, rushed. The first act gives Vikander and Redmayne little to do but attend social parties and stare lovingly at each other. The strength of this film lies within the middle portion, as Einar struggles with his new identity and Gerda tries to juggle her burgeoning career alongside taking care of her tormented husband but, sadly, the third act peters out, giving the audience no time at all to let the emotional gravity of the situation sink in.
The Danish Girl is a flawed tribute to a brave woman, but it is a story that was definitely worth telling. The dedication that Redmayne and Vikander pour into their roles deserves your time, but it is a shame that the film never truly lives up to its potential. If you get a chance to see it in theaters, be sure that you do.
Rating: 7/10
Words by Jake Constable