Mary Shelley is a new film that gives a snapshot of the life of the author of Frankenstein. The film stars Elle Fanning and Douglas Booth as Mary and Percy Shelley.
Elle Fanning gave a commendable performance as the title character, with her anguish and anger in the more dramatic scenes shining a light on her talent. Her chemistry with her co-star Douglas Booth was fantastic and filled the core of the story. Tom Sturridge gave a stand out performance as Lord Byron, despite the nature of this unlikeable character. The film instantly brightened from his commanding presence and he captured the audience’s attention in each scene.
Although the film feels disjointed and jumps through moments of time, we could not look away. The film was captivating and mesmerising – the period drama bringing a lot of issues to the forefront, especially the struggles young women were faced with in regards to marriage, and for Mary, publishing a book as a woman. The struggles that Mary faces throughout the film lead to her writing Frankenstein from a place of complete loneliness and separation. She uses her struggles from her young life to fuel her words and imagination to create a novel that is in the horror genre, which she loved reading, and also echoes a message that resonates with society.
Her story is something to marvel at, and worth telling, with the film keeping audiences on the edge of their seats the whole time. If you know her story, you will enjoy this live retelling, but if you do not, you will be in for a historical treat regarding this remarkable woman who created a story that stands the test of time.
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