The Electrical Life of Louis Wain: Lovely Biopic of Long-Forgotten Artist a Visual Delight

By Kim Hughes

Rating: A

It’s a testament to director Will Sharpe’s vision and humanity that a story predicated on mental illness, poverty, death, and heartbreak ultimately comes across as hopeful and lovely — whimsical even — while looking gorgeous on the screen.

Of course, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain also has Benedict Cumberbatch in a brilliant, lived-in performance as the real-life polymath (and possible schizophrenic) of the film’s title whose famed, gently hallucinatory illustrations of cats elevated the creatures from disdained four-legged mousetraps to venerated companion animals in an era when animals were regarded as little more than chattel. Now thanks to Sharpe’s tremendous biopic, Wain might get some overdue recognition.

The story opens in England 1881. The eccentric but wildly talented illustrator Wain is the reluctant breadwinner for his mother and five sisters. The hiring of sassy governess Emily (Claire Foy) to educate the girls persuades Wain to finally nail down a job that so Emily can be kept on.

The pair are soon a couple (scandalously for the era as she was older). Their time together ends swiftly and sadly, but also opens the door to a darling stray cat that offers Emily comfort in her waning days while providing Wain with the inspiration for what would be a brilliant if vexingly unremunerative, pan-global career that would see him visiting North American when few did.

PROUDLY SUPPORTS ORIGINAL-CIN

Cinematographer Erik Alexander Wilson conjures a shimmering, kaleidoscopic 19th century England as thrilling as the era’s many technological advances, like the electricity of the title, which serves as a metaphor for Wain’s troubled inner thoughts and his illuminating output.

Stunning costumes, sentimental, often amusing narration by Olivia Colman, two marvellously weird cameos and the always-entertaining presence of Toby Jones as Wain’s tireless cheerleader cement the film’s status as shoo-in for feel-good movie of the year… even as it breaks your heart.

The Electrical Life of Louis Wain. Directed by Will Sharpe. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Claire Foy, Toby Jones, Andrea Riseborough and Olivia Colman. In theaters October 22.