The makings of a man

Albert Nobbs

Crit

OK, I have to use an expression here, and I'm not trying to be coy or cute, so I don't want to hear any titters out there: this is a fairy tale. A fairy tale for better (a few scenes of delightful magic) and worse (a sort of zero-sum simplicity, when the subject matter deserves more). Close is twitchily, neurotically wonderful in the title role, of course (and would you believe that I still haven't looked at the full list of Oscar® nominees, though I've given a once-over to the major categories, so know that she got a nod), and so is Janet McTeer as the other woman in the story passing as a man, who becomes Albert's friend and (because happily married to a woman) role model. McTeer's name always sounds familiar, but her IMDb page suggests that she has worked mostly on stage and British TV, and that I've scarcely if ever seen her in anything before, but I hope to see her again.