Andrew Scott Hailed for Oscar-Worthy Performance in AIDS Drama 'Elsinore'
Critics are praising Andrew Scott's 'astonishing' and 'captivating' role in the new film 'Elsinore,' which received its European premiere at the London Film Festival.
Andrew Scott is garnering significant critical acclaim and is considered a strong contender for an Oscar following the European premiere of his latest film, "Elsinore," at the London Film Festival. The actor, who previously missed out on an Academy Award nomination for "All Of Us Strangers," received a standing ovation after the screening.
"Elsinore" is based on the true story of Scottish actor Ian Charleson, known for "Chariots of Fire." The film chronicles the autumn of 1989, when Charleson took on the demanding role of Hamlet at the National Theatre shortly after Daniel Day-Lewis withdrew. At the time, Charleson was already seriously ill with AIDS, and undertaking the physically and emotionally taxing role of Hamlet was known to potentially hasten his decline.
The film, directed by Simon Stone and written by Stephen Beresford, is being described as a career-defining role for Scott.
Critics have been largely unanimous in their praise. In The Times, Kevin Maher suggested Scott has "all but secured the best actor trophy" and that the film will leave audiences "barely able to see the screen through the tears." The Telegraph's Tim Robey awarded the film four stars, writing that the "ovations for Scott will be instant, thunderous and deserved following his career-defining role." He added that Scott "pours his soul into Elsinore, with stunning conviction, and will rightly win awards for his performance."
Dave Calhoun of ScreenDaily called the drama "sharp and stirring but never sentimental," anticipating that "the ghost of Hamlet will surely haunt another awards season when audiences and voters connect with" the film. For The Standard, Nick Howells gave "Elsinore" a five-star review, noting that "the last time I cried this much in a cinema was three years ago" during "All of Us Strangers," with the "common thread" being Scott's "completely devastating performances."
Howells went on to state that Scott "was criminally overlooked during awards season then, but dispel any scepticism about those already shooing him in for an Oscar this time round. This is a performance of a lifetime; and one the Academy voters would need a collective bout of insanity to ignore."
The Irish Times' Donald Clarke described "Elsinore" as "a bruising film that confirms Scott as one of the greats of our age." The supporting cast, including Billie Piper as Charleson's best friend, Peter Mullan as his father, and Olivia Colman as his doctor, also received praise.
However, not all reviews were overwhelmingly positive. Ed Gonzalez of Slant Magazine awarded the film two stars, calling it "a fascinatingly confused brushstroke of a film" and criticizing the screenplay for leaving the character's motivations unclear, despite Scott's impactful performance. He noted that "the mysteries of the man’s being remain under lock and key, with Stephen Beresford’s script defining him almost entirely by his desperate desire to play Hamlet on stage."
Despite some mixed reception to the script, Scott's performance remains a central point of discussion. "Elsinore" is scheduled for release in UK cinemas in January 2027.
