During the 1989 production of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet at the National Theatre in London, Daniel Day-Lewis famously walked offstage and refused to leave his dressing room. It was later alleged that, during the performance, he had seen the ghost of his father. The experience was reportedly so psychologically scarring that he never returned to the stage..
The National Theatre was suddenly faced with a difficult decision: should they cancel the production or recast the role of Hamlet? They chose the latter, casting Ian Charleson in the title role. Charleson, however, was dying of AIDS at the time. Despite performing only 24 times, his portrayal of Hamlet came to be regarded as one of the greatest theatrical performances of all time.
So, making a biopic about the final chapter of his life was never going to be an easy task for any actor. Not only would they have to nail the role of Hamlet, but they would also have to portray a man knocking on death’s door and coming to terms with the fact that he is dying. Obviously, Andrew Scott was the only choice. And while Scott gives the performance of his career, the rest of the film is little more than a collection of Oscar-bait clichés.
Before I bog down the room too much, let’s talk about where Elsinore’s saving grace lies. If you decide to watch Elsinore, watch it for the performances. The entire ensemble is fantastic, but Andrew Scott carries the film on his back as the late Ian Charleson. He perfectly captures the weight of a man coming to terms with his mortality and realizing that his death is near. Yet, despite his diagnosis, he refuses to let it define him. When his doctor (Olivia Colman, The Favourite) tells him to rest, he refuses to back down. With the support of his closest friend, Patey (Billie Piper, Doctor Who), and the rest of the theatre company, he pushes through and delivers the performance of his life. Scott is simply remarkable in the role, bringing an incredible amount of vulnerability, determination, and humanity to Charleson.
However, the moment you take away the fantastic performances, the entire film crumbles under the weight of its own emotionally manipulative ambition. The film is structured like a traditional biopic. Charleson is asked to take on the role of Hamlet, which he gladly accepts because he is desperate for a juicy part that will allow him to showcase his acting abilities. However, those around him doubt whether he can handle the role because of his diagnosis and the very real risk it poses to his health.
He begins rehearsals with his head held high, feeling stronger and more confident with each passing day. But just before opening night, he falls seriously ill with pneumonia, an experience that nearly costs him his life. After overcoming this near-death experience, he returns to the stage and delivers the performance of his life as Hamlet, before eventually passing away. Elsinore is structured almost like a music biopic. The difference is that instead of drugs threatening to derail the protagonist’s career, the threat this time is AIDS.
What further doesn’t help Elsinore is just how desperate it is to make you cry during its climax. For the first half of the film, it feels like a naturalistic character study of a man coming to terms with his mortality and using Hamlet to help process what he is going through. Albeit, it’s not the most interesting exploration of the thematic comfort Hamlet can provide, but it is still an enthralling one. However, after his near-death experience, the film devolves into one giant montage of Andrew Scott acting his ass off: playing Hamlet onstage, rehearsing Hamlet, and even performing Hamlet from his hospital bed. All the while, a beautiful musical score swells in the background as the film bombards you with the most profound and meaningful quotes from Hamlet. Sure, maybe one tear rolled down my face. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that the film was manipulating me into crying rather than earning the emotion organically.
Overall, I am left disappointed with Elsinore. Despite a fantastic performance from Andrew Scott, the rest of the film falls woefully flat. Fifteen years ago, this is the kind of film that would have taken the Oscars by storm. Today, however, it feels like a relic of a bygone era, a film designed primarily to win an actor an Oscar and make audiences ugly-cry over their performance. While its heart is undoubtedly in the right place, Elsinore is ultimately emotionally shallow and hollow. As the credits roll, you may shed a tear, but when you revisit the film a few months later, you may find yourself struggling to remember exactly why you cried in the first place.
My Rating: C
Elsinore comes to select theatres November 20th.
Elsinore had its international premiere at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival.
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