The Invisible Woman (2013) – Film Review

Director: Ralph Fiennes
Writers: Abi Morgan
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Felicity Jones, Kristin Scott Thomas
Runtime: 111 min
Rating: 14A

Period pieces have a set of expectations that need to be fulfilled in order to achieve a believable, enthralling, and successful immersion into the time they portray. Costume, staging, and dialogue must all work together in order to transport the spectator into another time. Ralph Fiennes successfully executes all of these aspects in his telling of an important milestone in Charles Dickens’s life. There are great expectations for the film, but none that it cannot fulfill.

In The Invisible Woman, Ralph Fiennes plays a forty-five-year-old Charles Dickens, who, despite being married and having more than five children, starts a romance with seventeen-year-old Nelly Ternan (Felicity Jones). The film exposes how the romance came to be, and the impact it had in both Dickens’s and Ternan’s lives. With opulent sets and costumes, The Invisible Woman is a period piece worthy of its title.

It goes without saying that the acting in the film is fantastic. Ralph Fiennes simply confirms why he is as respected and admired as he is, while Felicity Jones establishes herself as a serious, worthy actress. It is not an easy task to adopt the character of a person from a time so different from one’s own, but the entire cast tackles the challenge without difficulty. The lines run smoothly, the acting is absolutely natural, and the time that is being portrayed is entirely believable. Fiennes and Jones work wonders together, and their relationship is compelling, hesitant, and passionate all at once. Joanna Scanlan is gripping as Catherine Dickens, and her portrayal of a wife losing her husband is not only enthralling, but also one of the film’s most memorable aspects. The cast as a whole works together in harmony, and they create great chemistry and authenticity in the film. It is worth noting that the camera transmits great admiration for Jones; she is always framed in a soft, almost dreamlike manner, which adds a great touch to the final product.

The film makes occasional use of a handheld camera, and the framing ranges from impressive, extreme long shots to intimate close ups, which gives the film a modern feel. The immersion is not lost, however, due to the care with which costuming and staging is handled. Both of these are produced with the utmost authenticity. The music is also a great agent in setting the mood of the time, and the beautiful score matches the film well, all the while engaging the viewer even further into the story.

It comes as no surprise that this film is meticulously acted, written, and designed, but it seems as if that is its greatest weakness. The Invisible Woman takes no chances and it becomes a very standard period piece that excels in every aspect but fails to create something new and innovative. Although the camerawork is more modern, it follows a common trend that has been used in period pieces in recent years. There is no denying that this is a great film, but it ends there. It fulfills expectations but it doesn’t bring anything new to the table. Although this fact may comfort those who seek out and enjoy period films, it can be somewhat repetitive and monotonous to a viewer seeking a more daring and new aspect in the genre. It would be exciting to see established directors like Fiennes use their talent and resources to create something previously unseen.

The Invisible Woman could be called The Perfect Period Piece. Beautiful costumes, accurate settings, an authentic script, and completely believable acting all come together in order to fulfill every expectation one may have of a work of its kind. The film, however, lacks innovation and uniqueness, and it becomes just another period film. Although indisputably a great work, it lacks any elements to make it absolutely remarkable, thus reducing its appeal to those not necessarily enthralled by the genre.