Empire of Light (dir. Sam Mendes) x VIFF 2022.

Mendes is clearly working through his own issues (in his first solo script and only second writing credit) through a rather sleepy drama. Empire of Light goes through the motions in acting as an ode to movie-going while shoehorning Britain’s murky period social issues surrounding race amidst Thatcher’s rising political nationalism. As a film, it’s often enjoyably sentimental enough but still altogether hokey. 

• Screened at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival as part of the Special Presentations program.