The Danish Girl - Snapshot

Billed as a biography, The Danish Girl is based on the lives of Danish artists Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. Over its 2-hour runtime, the movie explores their romance, and Lili’s discovery and transformation, into what was the first ever transgender. Owing to its queer theme, getting into it I was perplexed with regard to what could be expected. Thankfully director Tom Hooper did an extraordinary job, transforming a dramatic theme into a movie with an artsy feel. From the get go, the movie is beautiful. The opening sequences are picturesque, and that same beauty remains as the movie plays out. Every shot, even the most basic ones are stunning. The framing and setting is outstanding, contributing towards a powerful and memorable visual experience. The sets and recreation of Copenhagen in the 1920's is breathtaking, adding to the visual splendor. Video detail is also incredible, with skin textures, pores, and fabric weaves, being quite noticeable. The plot is slow, and shows the struggle and gradual transition of Einar to Lili. The movie is serious, and coupled with the intensity of the plot, and deep performances, it's not well suited for casual entertainment. Performances are stellar both from Alicia Vikander who plays Gerda, and Eddie Redmayne who plays Lily/Einar. Gerda’s character has a natural confidence and energy, which later transitions to a serious struggle, finally culminating in a realization of love. It’s a performance that will leave you with little doubt as to why she won the Oscar for Actress in a Supporting Role, in 2016. With Einar’s character it’s his soft gentle feminine ways, which over the course of the narrative manifest in a self-discovery of inner feelings and desires. Again there is some sense of struggle, at times making an effort to suppress, though clearly being torn. As much as the movie is about the transformation of Einar to the lady Lily, it is also the transformation of a difficult theme to what could be seen as art and beauty; kudos to Tom Hooper on achieving that. The accompanying musical score is deep and perfectly fitting, adding to the overall mood of the movie. One of the keys to the narrative is that the story is told more from the perspective of Gerda, versus that of Lily, placing their romance at the core.

My Recommendation: Watch It + (A visually beautiful narrative, exploring the pioneer transgender)