Mr. Wain
Manager Will Sharpe
Year 2021
premiere 9 June 2022
Punctuation ★★
Louis Wain treated cats as kin, an outlook that grew from observing the natural world into something more intimate. He moved from a straightforward naturalism to a playful anthropomorphism, and eventually toward surreal and psychedelic visions. Through this progression, the artist helped normalize cats as beloved companions and hinted at a broader cultural fascination that would endure long after his time. The narrative arc of Wain’s life becomes a lens on how an extraordinary talent can emerge from inner turmoil and a fierce, almost obsessive, devotion to animal company. The film traces the early stages of his career, his unconventional approach to art, and the intense, often turbulent, personal experiences that shaped his creative output. It presents a portrait of a man whose work on felines transcended mere depiction and entered the realm of personal myth. At its core, the story explores the tension between genius and isolation, and the way trauma and longing can fuel a prolific, if erratic, artistic voice. The result is a biographical canvas that invites viewers to witness not only technical skill but the emotional undertow that drives a great artist toward ever more daring imagery. Throughout, Benedict Cumberbatch embodies a spectrum of quirks and tics that illuminate the inner life of the painter, offering moments of humor, tenderness, and discomfort in turn.
Director Will Sharpe adopts a rich array of visual techniques intended to reveal personality and mood. The cinematic language shifts with the changing mood, using splashes of color, rapid cuts, and playful misdirections to mirror the talent and eccentricities of the subject. Yet, at times the approach leans too heavily on stylistic devices, drifting into a cadence that can feel inconsistent or overbearing. The film does not shy away from difficult subjects, touching on death, trauma, and poverty while also lingering on the lighter, more whimsical side of the feline fascination. It engages with a contested theory about Wain’s mental health, particularly the idea that schizophrenia might have been a driving force behind his art. The screenplay treats this assumption with both reverence and skepticism, inviting viewers to weigh evidence and draw their own conclusions about the relationship between mental illness and creativity. In its best moments, the work invites empathy for a man who navigated personal loss and social stigma, offering an intimate glimpse into the ways in which a tormented mind can channel sorrow into striking, enduring imagery. The result is a film that seeks to balance biography with interpretation, presenting Wain as a complicated figure whose life and art continue to provoke discussion among historians and fans alike.