Chaplin

Image credit: Golden Globes

While cinema is pockmarked with thrilling biopics of Darkest Hour ilk, it’s interesting to think that there are some that just don’t make the grade. Whether by creative blunder or factual miscarriages there are some biographical features that just don’t seem to be as good as all the others.

Arguably a little dated, Chaplin chronicles the life of the silent film star. From his childhood in poverty to his talent in vaudeville before being swept up in the magic of the movies – and all that goes with it. Comedy, drama, scandal, and politics dogged Chaplin’s career from the beginning to its end, but cinema would not be what it is today with him.

Despite its myriad of wonderful performances, Chaplin feels like a haphazard biopic. The pacing proves a little bit hard to get the hang of: jumping from year to year, decade to decade and then shifting backwards all over again. And it seems that there were a lot of good ideas simply thrown into the mix that worked on their own, but didn’t do anything for the film in its entirety. Such humorous scenes as the sped-up illegal filmmaking in Salt Lake City though in keeping with the style Chaplin's famous Tramp protagonist were merely a breath of fresh air amidst the dramas that are happening simultaneously. The addition of Anthony Hopkins’ character –the fictional publishing editor conferring with an aged Chaplin on his autobiography- was a good idea in theory, but wasn’t entirely made the most of and didn’t serve a higher purpose than making time transitions and their content a little easier to grasp.

Image credit: Let's Not Talk About Movies

However, the film is definitely not without its charm. Based on Chaplin’s own autobiography it proves to be a solid character movie and it was a film that earned Robert Downey Jr. a lot of critical acclaim before his drug-related episodes and relapses shook his career. Downey is wonderful as the film’s heart and soul and the extensive preparations he made for the role do shine through. He delivers a performance that is funny and vulnerable and he is believable at every age he plays.

Chaplin is a movie that celebrates a giant in the industry and whilst it’s not the most polished biopic in movie history, it’s still worth a look if you’re a study of the medium and those who have contributed to the magic.

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Geraldine Chaplin, Dan Akroyd, Paul Rhys, John Thaw, Moira Kelly, Marisa Tomei, Milla Jovovich, Kevin Dunn, Diane Lane, and Anthony Hopkins