“But you have a life, I have a routine. Those of us deprived of a certain kind of love know how to starve ourselves. We deceive ourselves then deceive others. The worst kind of lie.”
A Quiet Passion is a biopic of the life of famed American poet Emily Dickinson (Emma Bell/Cynthia Nixon), beginning as a young woman through her untimely death at age 56, after which she would achieve her legendary status as a scribe.
The film explores the effect that unfulfillment has on a person, as well as death, and the forced piety of Christianity. Emily is a lonely person who fights this loneliness both through writing her poetry and keeping people at arms length by being snarky and distant. She is afraid of being in love because of how she perceives it to be so fleeting, the opposite of how she would love a suitor with her all. This tug and pull between wanting love but fearing it is a struggle for Emily’s family with whom she lives, particularly her sister Vinnie (Rose Williams/Jennifer Ehle).
Emily also has a complicated relationship with death, not handling the phenomenon well at all. We see two funerals in the film and both cause her to collapse into a cocoon of sorts, not even attending the funerals. Part of this inability to handle death seems to come from Emily’s worry that she will not accomplish all that she can in her life before its arrival (a prescient concern as we all know). One of the more memorable quotes from the film is when she tells a newspaper editor, “A posthumous reputation is only for those who weren’t worth remembering when they were living.” Her struggle with death is mirrored by her struggle with the cultural expectations placed upon her by the Christianity of the day. A smart, fierce, and independent woman, the film begins with young Emily leaving seminary after a difficult experience. Her forceful opinions often leave her at odds with family and clergy alike.
Cynthia Nixon gives a great performance as Dickinson, disappearing into the role. A lack of buzz and early in the year release will probably thwart any chance at awards but the film should go a long way toward expanding opportunities for her down the road. Jennifer Ehle is equally great as Vinnie Dickinson, the sister often left to pick up the pieces when Emily’s bullheadedness causes trouble. The two play well off of each other and move the character development forward in the film.
A Quiet Passion is a very dry film that is more a display of character development and following the life of a historical figure than something with an enthralling plot. Nixon’s portrayal of Emily Dickinson was the main draw for my going to see it and ultimately was the only thing that made the film worthwhile. If you’re an arthouse cinemaphile, Emily Dickinson fan, or if Nixon does end up making the awards circuit, this is worth a watch once available for home viewing but the casual viewer probably won’t enjoy themselves.
Image: Music Box Films
