A supernova is the brief flash of a star before it dies. It explodes and hurls almost all of its matter into space, from which new celestial bodies emerge. The world is fundamentally built on the principle of import and export; Most of the building blocks of life on earth come from distant galaxies.
Harry Macqueen’s film, which tells of the love of two men, is also about encounters and exchanges. “Supernova” begins with a look at the night sky, followed by the picture of two hands joined together: Tusker (Stanley Tucci) lies in bed next to Sam (Colin Firth) and shows him how to find the Milky Way. This cut combines the expanse of space with the intimacy of a two-person relationship. For Tusker and Sam, this montage tells us, the other means the world. The cosmic expanse is reflected in love, the depth of a couple relationship.
Real equality only begins where sexual identity hardly plays a role
The two men have been together for over twenty years, and every tender teasing (pointedly written by Harry Macqueen), every exchange, every cuddle in bed shows how much they mean to each other. It hardly matters that it is a gay relationship. So “Supernova” could do more for the recognition of homosexual partnerships than some explicit gay films. After all, real equality only begins when sexual identity hardly plays a role anymore, just one characteristic among many.
Tusker is a writer, small and wiry, he just oozes with spirit and wit. Sam is a pianist, the bearded guy, with a broad shoulder to lean on and a lot of feeling. It is amazing how well the two stars harmonize. The chemistry between Stanley Tucci and Colin Firth is right, perhaps because the two have known each other privately for a long time.
The chemistry between Stanley Tucci and Colin Firth is right, perhaps because the two have known each other for a long time.
(Photo: Weltkino)
Tusker and Sam drive around England in their old motorhome, visiting friends and relatives and places where they were happy together. Her little taunts – “Could you go a little faster? How about exploring the upper areas of the five gears?” – are sparkling rays of light in a sad story. Tusker has early dementia and is already showing signs of failure.
Again and again the film contrasts uncomfortably clear, sharply defined, beautiful images of northern English mountain landscapes with close-ups of the couple in a soft light. Nature appears as a foil, of cold eternity, in front of which the tragedy of the couple, but also the warming togetherness, for example at a family celebration, takes place.
Tusker wants to end his life before his ghost disappears, but his partner doesn’t want to let go of him
Director Harry Macqueen also wrote the script, which was initiated by early dementia cases among friends. He then did thorough research on the subject – and yet “Supernova” is not primarily an Alzheimer’s film. There has been a lot of that lately. The severity of the disease is often mitigated in the films by punchlines or a tightly packed plot, even “Supernova” is not a realistic portrayal of Alzheimer’s disease. Nevertheless, the film is more sensitive than many of its predecessors when it anticipates Tusker’s loss of his spirit and his identity based on the notes in his notebook: Tusker had pretended to be writing a new book, Sam discovered his notebook. And from page to page he finds increasingly confused, illegible records, ultimately just blank pages. The last legible words are “Dear Sam”, again and again Tuskers tried to put the words “Dear Sam” on paper with recognizable extreme effort. The moment is heartbreaking.
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In the end it is about the self-determination of the sick – Tusker wants to end his life before his ghost disappears; Sam doesn’t want to let him go. A willingness to make sacrifices also for selfish motives. From the beginning, the film had built up visual contrasts, also in preparation for this argument between the men. The fact that the two of them are gay is also unimportant, but it is recognizable that men, aggressive and assertive, suddenly physically attack each other. The most exciting action, however, takes place in Sam’s face: grief and anger can be recognized, ultimately reluctant acceptance. Great acting can be seen in “Supernova”, especially Colin Firth should recommend himself for an Oscar with the film. Nice to howl.
Supernova, GB 2020 – Director, book: Harry Macqueen. Camera: Dick Pope. Starring: Colin Firth, Stanley Tucci, Pippa Haywood. World cinema, 95 minutes. Theatrical release: October 14, 2021.