Believe it or not, nineteenth-century England is the perfect setting for Hysteria, a story surrounding the invention of the vibrator. Rooted in factual history, this fictionalization of the inventor is light-hearted and immensely entertaining. Director Tanya Wexler treads the delicate topic with ease and with delightful comedic timing.
Hugh Dancy (My Idiot Brother) plays Mortimer Granville, a young forward-thinking doctor in 1880’s London. After his dismissal from a local hospital, Mortimer finds work assisting the very busy Dr Dalrymple (Jonathan Pryce, Pirates of the Caribbean series) in his practice which specializes in the new treatment for hysteria in women. Dr Dalrymple has two daughters, Emily (Felecity Jones, Like Crazy), who helps with the practice and Charlotte (Maggie Gyllenhaal, Crazy Heart), who disapproves of her father and runs a settlement house for the poor. In the middle of all this is Rupert Everett as Edmund St. John-Smythe, a wealthy, eccentric aristocrat and Mortimer’s best friend.
Even though the character of Charlotte is exaggerated, Maggie Gyllenhaal brings a warmth and believability that keeps the story grounded. Her English accent was so hypnotically natural that I couldn’t wait to hear her speak. Hugh Dancy had a perfect blend of prudishness and comedy as Mortimer who wrestled with his values and feelings. Rupert Everett, although perfectly cast, was just the same character he does well, and it sadly doesn’t broaden him at all as an actor.
The film is just plain fun. Although it somewhat relies on poking fun at an intimate topic, for the most part, it’s the subtle performances that keep the jokes from becoming hokey and overdone. Even though serious topics are presented, such as the women’s suffrage movement or mental institutionalization, they are handled in a way that doesn’t bring down the mood, and mostly informs the audience.
Although there is no crude humor, the film will be mostly enjoyed by adults and is presented in a way that is entertaining and fun. I love when truth is stranger than fiction and you will too.
Rating: You’ll never look at a feather duster the same way again (8/10)
Tribeca Film Festival – Hysteria
Check the Box Office for more details. Download a PDF of the 2012 Film Guide.
Recent Comments