The Sophian

Issue date: 4/27/06 Section: Arts

Media Credit: Courtesy of film.ont Cilian Murphy stars as Patrick "Kitten" Braden in "Breakfast on Pluto."

Breakfast on Pluto
Director: Neil Jordan
Starring: Cillian Murphy, Liam Neeson, Stephen Rea

Based on the novel of the same name by Pat McCabe, "Breakfast on Pluto" features Cillian Murphy as Patrick "Kitten" Braden, a traveling orphaned transvestite who takes us though Irish history as her adventures unravel. An odd yet seductively enchanting mix between Billy Pilgrim of "Slaughterhouse Five" and Forrest Gump, the innocent and naive Kitten accompanies the viewer into a world of turmoil and hatred as she tumbles with wide-eyes through Ireland and London in the 1960s and 70s.

Adopting the style of the novel, the story is told by Kitten in thirty-six chapters, each cleanly highlighting a different aspect or time period of her life, and allowing the viewer an easy pathway both through the time warp and to the heart of the character. Fancifully told-complete with speaking birds and all-the story becomes a fairy tale of sorts, a colorful narrative with dark underlying themes and characters.

Murphy gives an award-worthy performance as Kitten, proving his versatility and range yet again. As Kitten's emotions fluctuate between madness, hope, disillusionment and despair, Murphy's strong performance creates a plausible and endearing character-one that we are surely happy to take such a journey with.

4/4 stars

Mrs. Henderson Presents
Director: Stephen Frears
Starring: Judi Dench, Bob Hoskins, Christopher Guest, Kelly Reilly

Somewhat similar to Jordan's "Breakfast on Pluto," "Mrs. Henderson Presents" is a brilliant tale of prejudice, survival, war, frivolity, and, well, nudity. Following her husband's death, Mrs. Henderson (played marvelously by the always-marvelous Dame Judi Dench) purchases a theater, hoping to revive London's art district and simultaneously fill her "required" quota of "widow hobby time." However, as the competition rises and the business begins to flop, Mrs. Henderson decides to push and test the limits of society --by decorating her stage with nude girls, while concurrently World War II decorates the streets of London with ruins and "casualties."

Within the juxtaposition between frivolous entertainment and serious man-made tragedy, Frears creates a hilarious and devastating world of thought-provoking contradictions and emotional complications. He does so without ever falling to the crass or tasteless, and instead paints Mrs. Henderson's colorful world with great care and style. Similar to Frears' masterpiece "Prick Up Your Ears," "Mrs. Henderson Presents" is a must see --a stylistic and mesmerizing portrayal of a true story, filled with wonderful performances by all involved.

3.5/4 stars

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools