Supernova (2020) | Film Review

A simplistic, yet truly gut-wrenching, chronicle of two lovers on a road-trip journey while battling one of the toughest diseases imaginable: early on-set dementia. Supernova leads with powerfully gentle performances from Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci, written and directed by Hinterland‘s Harry Macqueen, where each scene is crafted with love.

Sam (Colin Firth, The King’s Speech, Kingsman) and Tusker (Stanley Tucci, Spotlight) have seemingly endured it all over the course of their relationship, but are climbing a new mountain as Tusker’s dementia barrels their way. The two embark on a road-trip in their van to connect with each other, family, and friends. Along the way, as Tusker’s dementia becomes increasingly more prominent, Sam is forced to face the reality of Tusker’s condition and overcome the challenges it presses on what they know their relationship and each other to be.

One of the more interesting filmmaking choices is how director Macqueen deliberately begins the film in the back of the van, making the audience quite literally a backseat observer to Sam and Tusker’s love and life. You get to watch it unfold the way a six-year-old does with their parents while sitting in the back of the car on a long drive for vacation. Sure, there might be some bickering or sarcastic jokes made about poor driving, but in the end, their hands meet in the middle. And while the entire film is not shot in this manner, it is a clever technique to prepare us for the remainder.

Make no mistake, Supernova is a sad film, just not in the way you are likely anticipating. If you’re anything like I am, simply watching the trailer made you grab your box of Kleenex to have at the ready. However, it is intentionally not melodramatic or engrossed in the intricate despairs of dementia, but rather uses it as a vehicle to talk about how love manifests, what it means when it comes to overcoming seemingly impossible hurdles, and the acceptance or lack thereof of mortality.

Macqueen’s choice in tone expresses an obvious respect for those who have dealt with, and still are, the disease because his goal is not to overwhelm you with somber at the experience. Yes, he is displaying the surface of the struggle and – at times – the depth, but he is also showing the world the true impact of love.

While the script is fairly simple and straightforward, Firth and Tucci have a genuine chemistry that explodes Supernova‘s potential and brings it to life. Stanley Tucci deserves accolades for his effortless depiction of dementia, with soft hints of silence as his brain works to catch up in conversation. But it is Firth who lights up the screen with intense emotion. As such, his Sam is the one we see unaccepting to the reality, bringing raw and fierce energy along for the ride. And then, when his sweet and precious Tusker’s lips utter tender and loving remarks, Firth demonstrates the butterfly feeling in physical demeanor. His eyes glisten, muscles relax, and he tries to catch his breath. 

Firth and Tucci give us some of their most gentle and potent work, while also giving the LGBTQIA+ community a film that displays a gay relationship in the most smooth manner. While it is great to have films about pride and the challenges the LGBTQIA+ community must overcome, it is also important to have films that demonstrate gay couples are no different than straight couples; films that normalize the relationship. 

Supernova is sure to tug on your heartstrings and encourage you to reach your hand out for your loved one(s), but without the excessive sobbing many of us were preparing for. Relying most heavily on the two leads’ delivery and chemistry, Supernova‘s tale of accepting mortality through the eyes of love will captivate you.