‘Benediction’ Review – Terence Davies Delivers A Stellar Film In This Complex Character Study

Benediction (2022)

Directed By: Terence Davies

Starring: Peter Capaldi, Tom Blyth, Jack Lowden, Julian Sands

Plot Summary: Director Terence Davies, known for films such as Distant Voices, Still Lives and The House of Mirth, brings an incredibly artful bio-pic of the legendary 20th Century war poet Siegfried Sassoon. Through flashbacks, we see his personal struggles with family, the brutality of war, his loves and heartbreaks. Also, it explores how Sassoon’s work reflected and contextualized these experiences in his life.

From the outset, I will say that Benediction is a tough watch, but one that is ultimately very worthwhile. It is tough in the sense that you’ll need to devote your time, attention, as well as your entire heart to fully connect with Davies’ painfully personal outing. Free from the studio system, Davies is given that rare kind of cinematic freedom that is typically only allotted to indie filmmakers. Therefore, we are treated to a slow-burn character exploration that is given the room to fully breathe and open up on its own terms. In a big way, this is its biggest strength, but also the very thing that will alienate much of the cinema-going public.

At nearly two-and-a-half hours, the movie is certainly not bashful about truly developing Siegfried Sassoon. In lesser hands, I could easily see Benediction being a dreadful museum piece filled with relics in the form of moldy melancholic melodrama one might see on the stage. Thankfully, this is not the case and Davies, using his keen eye of visuals, skill and confidence, elevates the material to something that is as harrowing as it is soulful. A great touch is the use of Sassoon’s own poetry. Again, this could have been done clumsily, yet thrives under its director’s touch. Not only is this an artful thread throughout, but it is done in a way that feels organic both narratively and as a way to get a deeper understanding of the complex poet.

The movie is also very frank about exploring Sassoon’s sexuality and the issues that this presented during wartime. This is maybe not the most groundbreaking thread in 2022, but it is very much worth touching upon. It is worth noting that Queer and Trans people have always had to struggle within the military complex back in Siegfried Sassoon’s time and this is sadly still an issue in present day. Indeed, I felt like this aspect could have even been explored further.

Director of photography Nicola Daley (Pin Cushion, The Letdown) does a fantastic job at painting Benediction with a look that is as somber as the subject matter itself whilst also adding flourishes that give the film life, but never going too over-the-top at the same time. Across the board, the film is stunning on a technical level with outstanding production design, costumes and music. Peter Capaldi and Jack Lowden both play Sassoon in different time periods and give effortlessly marvelous performances. Really, the entire cast is excellent without a sour note out of this spellbinding cast.

Though I love the wonderful attention to detail and the complex character study, I think the film is at its best when Davies lets the knives come out as it were. Not in a literal sense, mind you, but rather in a chess-like series of drawing room venomous verbal battles. It’s the kind of highbrow action scene that had me mesmerized. If I had to lobby a complaint, I would say that the movie doesn’t mesh the past and present timelines in a way that feels altogether successful despite being given enough time.

This is my first Terence Davies movie, and I must say it is a damn strong first impression. The movie is a challenging watch for its glacier-like pace, but thanks to its director, it brought home an emotional yet thankfully not overwrought exploration. Benediction is a stellar film.

Benediction is currently playing in select theaters courtesy of Roadside Attractions. 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHPcubS9XbM]