Nia DaCosta’s reimagining of Henrik Ibsen’s acclaimed play, Hedda, is a visually stunning treat and an atmospheric look into the crumbling facade of its titular role, Hedda.
I had the pleasure of seeing Hedda at TIFF back in September — a film starring Tessa Thomson as Hedda Gabler, Nina Hoss as Eileen Loveborg, Imogen Poots as Thea Clifton, and more. With stunning sets and costume design, a beautiful score by Hildur Guđnadóttir, compelling performances by its cast, and sapphic relationships added in with a newly gender-swapped character, Hedda is everything one could want in a trip to the cinema and more.
As a fan of the play, I knew going into the film that there had been changes made to the story, and that was one of the things I was most looking forward to. Anyone who knows and loves classical works knows that classic texts like Ibsen, Chekov, Shakespeare, and so on and so forth are only made stronger by trying new things, and playing with the text in new ways, and in Hedda’s case, those choices work. The setting of the play, having been originally set in 1891, the play’s publication date, has been changed to 1950s England, and for me, the setting and tone of the film are among the best things about it.
With Nia DaCosta’s direction and Sean Bobbitt’s cinematography, you don’t just feel like you’re watching a film; you feel as though you are a part of it. When Hedda moves through a room, you feel as though you are moving through it with her. When Eileen makes her grand entrance, the tension seeps through the screen, and when the credits begin to roll, you feel as though you, much like Hedda, need a bit of a breather (to put it mildly). The atmosphere of the film is all-encompassing and everything I want from a film. Hildur Guđnadóttir’s score only aids in solidifying this more. In a similar vein to her (phenomenal) score for TÁR, Guđnadóttir’s score is intoxicatingly brilliant. Dripping with sultry jazz and tension-ridden, anxiety-inducing instrumentals, it perfectly encapsulates the tone of the film, and I left the theatre immediately wanting to download the entire score.
As Hedda, Tessa Thompson leads the film, almost never leaving the frame for the entirety of the runtime, and she does a remarkable job. Hedda is hailed in the theatre world as one of the most coveted parts for women, a role equivalent to the likes of Hamlet or Lear, both in terms of difficulty and caliber of the role. Thompson adds many layers to Hedda, and we’re given the opportunity to see those layers played out on the big screen in a way that we never have on stage, and with an added level of intimacy that the camera adds and elevates. Thompson adds many layers to Hedda: her ability to command a room and everyone in it, an intense vulnerability that few are allowed to see, and sanity that is on the brink of collapse. Thompson plays it all, and does so in a way that is so intricately layered that it appears natural. She is both compelling, moving, at times frustrating, but deeply, deeply human, and it was a pleasure to watch Thompson take on a role such as this.
In a newly gender-swapped role, Nina Hoss as Eileen Loveburg (originally Ejlert Løvborg) absolutely commands the screen. Her first entrance took my breath away, and I left an even bigger Nina Hoss fan than I was prior to seeing the film. As a woman in a field dominated by men, the stakes for Hoss’s character are already high; this is only elevated by the added aspect of her relationships with both Hedda and Thea. We’re immediately introduced to the thorny and alluring aspect of Eileen and Hedda’s relationship (and past), aided by fantastic chemistry between Hoss and Thompson, and I was instantly hooked. More than that, Hoss allows us to see so much of Eileen; she lays bare her soul. We, as the audience, are given the opportunity to see everything that Eileen is going through, and in my opinion, Hoss gives us one of the most staggeringly brilliant and compelling performances of the year. As Thea, Imogen Poots perfectly rounds out this trio of leading women and is a perfect balance to Thompson’s Hedda and Hoss' Eileen. She poses a major threat to Hedda, and plays the perfect balance of coy and intriguing, and I couldn’t take my eyes off of her.
With three incredible performances from the trio of leading women as well as strong performances from its entire cast, paired with a unique and poignant reimagining by Nia DaCosta, Hedda should be on everyone’s radar, and I truly hope it receives the attention and acclaim it so deserves.
During the Q&A after the film, DaCosta spoke about her intention behind changing the ending. She spoke of her admiration for Ibsen’s work, as well as for the play itself, but wanted Hedda to end on a different note. Rather than watch Hedda meet her fateful end, as audiences are so often used to seeing onstage, we instead watch Hedda reclaim her life, reclaim her narrative in a terrific and unexpected turn of events. While there are many aspects of the film that don’t entirely end on what one could call a “positive note”, where we are left with Hedda is as positive as it gets. After a brush with death comes a new vigour for life.
My hope is that audiences who have perhaps seen or studied the play can put what they know aside and open their minds to this reimagining. Hedda is more than worth your time and is one of the most compelling films I’ve seen this year. What Nia DaCosta has done with a play that is a staple in many Drama Schools and English Literature programs is not only to reimagine it in her own way, but does so with aplomb. She brings you into the world of the film, and in that world you’re excited, tense, moved, and everything in between, and that’s exactly what I hope for when I go to the cinema.
If this film was not on your radar before, I truly hope it is now — you do not want to miss the marvel that is Hedda, by Nia DaCosta.
Hedda is now streaming on Prime Video.
Photo: Courtesy of TIFF
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