Albert Nobbs

Last night I saw Albert Nobbs, a film starring Glenn Close about a woman in 19th century Dublin who has lived her entire life as a man.

Glenn Close's subtle and painful performance was brilliant, although rather difficult to watch. Albert Nobbs is a repressed, clueless waiter in a hotel, who has no understanding of human emotions and who is deeply isolated. He meets another man who is in fact a woman and who lives very happily with another woman. This idea of domesticity and companionship opens up possibilities for Albert, who chooses a maid in the hotel to be his future partner. She is in love with someone else and toys with Albert. The scenes of their stilted courtship are awkward and unpleasant, and you realize that there is no hope for him.

Albert Nobbs was very interesting, but in spite of the melodrama and great acting, it left me kind of cold.