The Danish Girl

It's nice that a transgender being can take festival-goers to Copenhagen, Paris, and Dresden in the 1920s and they don't even protest. The lead roles are godlike, and I had no doubts about the set design. In addition, excellent are also the supporting roles (Sebastian Koch as Magnus Hirschfeld) and especially the emphasis on the work of Gerda Wegener, for whom I don't know whether I prefer the Art Nouveau or Art Deco period. (02/03/2016)

The worst possible way to capture the biography of an unconventional person is to make it precisely this conventional and conservative. The slow cinematography, the haunting music, and the precise actors are dragged in a soul-destroying way through two hours without any drama and you guess the plot despite having no idea about the person in question until now. Somehow you guess that the wife had to go through the hardest dilemma, but her inner struggle is done with one tear on a bench in the rain - it’s very cheesy, just like the rest of the film. (02/08/2016)

The film definitely didn't disappoint in terms of acting, and especially Eddie Redmayne continues to demonstrate what a great actor he is. He can embody a role in such a way that you forget about Redmayne and only perceive the character. Moreover, Alicia Vikander is not only beautiful but also great. She sure is lovely to look at, there's no denying that. The life story itself is interesting, but the execution feels somewhat standard and expected, lacking enthusiasm from Hooper. (01/25/2016)

From the first mention, The Danish Girl was a clear favourite for a film that would see more than one Oscar nomination, no doubt about it. In the end, it is a skillfully made biographical drama with appealing visuals and a subtle musical score, all dominated by a particularly gripping premise and very convincing performances by the two leads. Eddie Redmayne's somewhat androgynous appearance adds to the level of authenticity of his character, while Alicia Vikander relies on a realistic portrayal of a woman whose husband believes she is a woman trapped in a man's body. The film depicts the incredible story of two people who love each other deeply, even if it's more about mental support than physical attraction. (02/09/2016)

Tom Hooper's craftsmanship cannot be denied, everything is exactly in its place, every scene has its meaning, the cinematography works perfectly in relation to the characters and the actors get the most out of their performances. Eddie Redmayne is traditionally convincing and likeable, Alicia Vikander is phenomenal. But as far as any message or dramatic value is concerned, apart from the theme itself, there is nothing to write home about. Above all, the film doesn't feel very much like a true life story, the action doesn't reach the required emotional heights, and although the driving force is supposed to be primarily a depiction of the fateful love and affection between the two protagonists, it fails to extend their feelings beyond the expressions and inflections of the actors. Overall, it’s a bit underdeveloped, in small details and individual components, but definitely engaging and pretty good. 70% (04/07/2016)