The Professor And The Madman (Movie Review)

8/10

James Murray (Mel Gibson) survives on obsession. His life goal is to compile the first English dictionary. With only a few tools at his disposal he relies on the help of strangers. One of these strangers is a murderer confined to a lunatic asylum - Doctor William Chester Minor (Sean Penn). The friendship between Murray and Minor shaped the English language the way it’s known today.

THE PROFESSOR AND THE MADMAN is based on the biography by Simon Winchester, but is as exciting as any fictional story can be. The script that in any other circumstances would earn an Oscar nomination has sustained serious damage by various law suits and troubled production, which forced the director Farhad Safinia (a many time Mel Gibson collaborator) to take his name off the final cut. Yes, the film suffers from missing on the final comprehensive editing, where the rougher edges could be smoothed (and the length reduced) although as it is, there are not many faults to be found.

The acting is superb, even from the supporting cast, the costumes and the times feel authentic and the valsy soundtrack from Bear McCreary is a delight. This is a spectacular story, given that is amazingly based on history.

There are elements of a thriller, a love story and a buddy drama. All wrapped up nicely into a historical package. Honestly, an improvement on Winchester’s book. Get over what you think of Mel Gibson and see for yourself that a blockbuster movie can be made on a tiny budget, while delivering all the goods of independent moviemaking.