(1998)
4
Matthew Doberman
Based on the life of legendary filmmaker James Whale, Gods and Monsters is a wonderfully affecting portrait of friendship, loss and regret. Whale's confidence and indulgence belied his vast reserve of pain and melancholy, and Ian McKellan, with his expressive eyes, captures those emotions perfectly. As the hunky groundskeeper who's the object of Whale's affection, Brendan Fraser reveals a high degree of emotional intelligence and vulnerability. The role was an important one for Fraser, who was previously better-known for lighter fare, such as 1997's George of the Jungle. The movie was also a great success for writer-director Bill Condon, who was previously best-known for the B-movie sequel Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (1995). Condon won the Best Adapted Screenplay award for his work; and a nearly unrecognizable Lynn Redgrave earned a Best Supporting Actress nomination as Whale's eccentric, conflicted maid. The combined efforts make Gods a film that is both tender and tragic, a sparkling portrait of two seemingly diverse misfits whose lives unexpectedly intersect.
Gods and Monsters on AllMovie
Gods and Monsters (1998)
