The main reason I watched this movie was the cast - Roache, Hannah, Morton, Woof - brilliant performers - so I decided to see it and wasn't disappointed there. I had read that this wasn't historically very accurate - So I suppose I will have to take the plot with a pinch of salt.
The movie as whoever reads this will most probably know is about Samuel Coleridge and William Wordsworth and how they turned out their masterpieces (Ancient Mariner, Lyrical Ballads, Xanadu). The focus is however mainly on Colerdige and his life and his opium addiction and his 'worse addiction' - his friendship and trust in Wordsworth. Their friendship and the later disagreement in ideals is quite historical fact, I know. The only thing I'm not sure of is whether Wordsworth was the ogre he is made out to be. I know that he is supposed to have lifted most of his poetry from his sister Dorothy's diaries (which is subtly alluded to here). As to whether he really betrayed Colerdige and his friends, I have no idea. I wasn't also sure of the role played by Mary Wordsworth.
Anyway, in the movie, as Colerdige grows more addicted to Opium and dishes out the marvellous "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" which was supposed to be a collaboration between the two; Wordsworth grows jealous and uses his influence to ensure that the later (and much more phenomenal) "Kubla Khan" is not published along with his own "Lyrical Ballads". Colerdige realises the treachery at the end when "Kubla Khan" is almost lost but thanks to Dorothy's memory and devotion to Coleridge's work, (She herself is an Opium addict by now) it is salvaged.
As I said, I decided to watch the movie for the performances and I was vindicated. Linus Roache, as brilliant as ever, was stunning as the Opium-addicted, idealistic yet simple-souled Coleridge. He exudes mind-blowing energy throughout - simple, idealistic and open in the beginning, getting more complex as he comes to know Dorothy and is enchanted by her and heartbreaking in the opium-addicted sequences. It is impossible not to sympathise with the character. The man is a great actor. John Hannah is great as the straitjacketed, power-hungry Wordsworth. He mirrors the conflict in Wordsworth's mind very well - his devotion to Coleridge opposed to his disagreement with his revolutionary ideas, his devotion to Dorothy opposed to his disapproval of her devotion to Coleridge, his appreciation of Colerdige's genius opposed to his own jealousy - it's a perfect foil to Roache's Coleridge.
Emily Woof is a revelation as Dorothy Wordsworth. The final sequence when she recites Kubla Khan as a drug-addicted invalid is very touching. Samantha Morton doesn't get much to work with as Sara Colerdige, but she does an excellent job with whatever she has got.
Also noteworthy is Andy Serkis (Gollum :)) as the revolutionary John Thelwall and Samuel West as Robert Southey. The rest of the cast are competent as well.
An important part is the imagery and symbolism employed throughout the movie. The drug-induced dreams that Colerdige has about the ship of the Ancient mariner and Xanadu are very well done. Particularly mentionable is one scene where he climbs up a tree thinking it is the mast of the ship. Subtle symbols like the trail of a jet airplane across the sky, a concrete/glass dome in the background and in the end Colerdige reading his poetry in a modern home also work well. There is also a constant recitation of Coleridge's poetry in the background which creates a good atmosphere and Roache does a great job of the same.
The final credits, where Coleridge is shown in modern day London(?) to simulate him in Xanadu was dragging it a bit too far.
On the whole, I thought the movie will work well if you like Coleridge's poetry and if you are ready to see it as a dramatic endeavour and not as historical fact.
The movie as whoever reads this will most probably know is about Samuel Coleridge and William Wordsworth and how they turned out their masterpieces (Ancient Mariner, Lyrical Ballads, Xanadu). The focus is however mainly on Colerdige and his life and his opium addiction and his 'worse addiction' - his friendship and trust in Wordsworth. Their friendship and the later disagreement in ideals is quite historical fact, I know. The only thing I'm not sure of is whether Wordsworth was the ogre he is made out to be. I know that he is supposed to have lifted most of his poetry from his sister Dorothy's diaries (which is subtly alluded to here). As to whether he really betrayed Colerdige and his friends, I have no idea. I wasn't also sure of the role played by Mary Wordsworth.
Anyway, in the movie, as Colerdige grows more addicted to Opium and dishes out the marvellous "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" which was supposed to be a collaboration between the two; Wordsworth grows jealous and uses his influence to ensure that the later (and much more phenomenal) "Kubla Khan" is not published along with his own "Lyrical Ballads". Colerdige realises the treachery at the end when "Kubla Khan" is almost lost but thanks to Dorothy's memory and devotion to Coleridge's work, (She herself is an Opium addict by now) it is salvaged.
As I said, I decided to watch the movie for the performances and I was vindicated. Linus Roache, as brilliant as ever, was stunning as the Opium-addicted, idealistic yet simple-souled Coleridge. He exudes mind-blowing energy throughout - simple, idealistic and open in the beginning, getting more complex as he comes to know Dorothy and is enchanted by her and heartbreaking in the opium-addicted sequences. It is impossible not to sympathise with the character. The man is a great actor. John Hannah is great as the straitjacketed, power-hungry Wordsworth. He mirrors the conflict in Wordsworth's mind very well - his devotion to Coleridge opposed to his disagreement with his revolutionary ideas, his devotion to Dorothy opposed to his disapproval of her devotion to Coleridge, his appreciation of Colerdige's genius opposed to his own jealousy - it's a perfect foil to Roache's Coleridge.
Emily Woof is a revelation as Dorothy Wordsworth. The final sequence when she recites Kubla Khan as a drug-addicted invalid is very touching. Samantha Morton doesn't get much to work with as Sara Colerdige, but she does an excellent job with whatever she has got.
Also noteworthy is Andy Serkis (Gollum :)) as the revolutionary John Thelwall and Samuel West as Robert Southey. The rest of the cast are competent as well.
An important part is the imagery and symbolism employed throughout the movie. The drug-induced dreams that Colerdige has about the ship of the Ancient mariner and Xanadu are very well done. Particularly mentionable is one scene where he climbs up a tree thinking it is the mast of the ship. Subtle symbols like the trail of a jet airplane across the sky, a concrete/glass dome in the background and in the end Colerdige reading his poetry in a modern home also work well. There is also a constant recitation of Coleridge's poetry in the background which creates a good atmosphere and Roache does a great job of the same.
The final credits, where Coleridge is shown in modern day London(?) to simulate him in Xanadu was dragging it a bit too far.
On the whole, I thought the movie will work well if you like Coleridge's poetry and if you are ready to see it as a dramatic endeavour and not as historical fact.