A generously, clear-cut low-budgeter starring Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones, The Devil Wears Prada) and Colin Firth (A Single Man, The King’s Speech) has an inquisitive spirit and wonderment about it.
Supernova eschews movie-of-the-week status when it comes to sexuality or Alzheimer’s disease with a more restrained air about it, belying its moniker.
Tucci’s Tusker is a novelist diagnosed with early onset dementia and Firth’s Sam is a pianist as lush images from lensing pro Dick Pope has them traveling in an old RV through England’s more verdant expanses and visiting folks after two decades together.
The tenderness comes through with spry discourse as they’ll be surprised by friends Lilly and Clive (Pippa Haywood and Peter MacQueen). In this ‘fairwell tour’ Sam isn’t happy with Tusker’s outlook about ‘stealing a life’ while driven as a caregiver.
Coping with the angst in concealing ways can be detrimental as director/writer Harry Macqueen can be a bit prodding as the managing of gradual loss amid pragmatic-like acceptance can resonate at times with raw emotion.
Vicissitudes come out from the visages of these very able performers from the stiff British mindset to a more candid foray that allows for the kind of shading that’s manifested in a creditable commingling.
Though Macqueen isn’t really going in any unique directions a thoughtful intimacy operates well from the fact of two men who’ve grown in ways to count on each other more. Especially when a long-term relationship is truncated a deeper appreciation between Sam and Tusker with Firth and Tucci tempering the struggle with sensitivity, Keeping this “Supernova” a mostly honest, refreshing, and unsentimental cinematic beacon.