Storyline

In the 1850s, Nelly Ternan (Felicity Jones) is a minimally talented actress who catches the eye of the hailed British author, Charles Dickens (Ralph Fiennes). Bored with his intellectually unstimulating wife, Catherine (Joanna Scanlan), Charles takes the educated Nelly as his mistress with the cooperation of her mother, Mrs. Frances Ternan (Dame Kristin Scott Thomas). What follows is a stormy relationship with this literary giant who provides her with a life few women of her time can enjoy. Yet, Nelly is equally revolted by Charles' emotional cruelty and determination to keep her secret. In that conflict, Nelly must judge her own role in her life and decide if the price she pays is bearable.—Kenneth Chisholm (kchishol@rogers.com)

Plot Keywords

older man younger woman relationship, based on true story, obesity, poverty, adulterous husband, scandal, false name, marital discord, fat woman, unfaithful husband, theatre, london england, victorian era, england, directed by star, based on novel, mother daughter relationship, lock of hair, sister sister relationship, celebrity

Short Review

Felicity Jones gives a strong depiction of repressed emotion. Up against Fiennes' Dickens -- all bonhomie, energy, mercurial self-consciousness -- she's a melancholy figure.

Trailer

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