- Title: The Electrical Life of Louis Wain
- IMDb: link
Benedict Cumberbatch stars as the unusual 19th Century artist Louis Wain who would become famous for his cat illustrations. As the title suggests, the film is more than a little whimsical. It’s notable mainly for the performances of Cumberbatch and Claire Foy as Louis’ wife, the governess of his nieces who he immediately falls for despite the discrepancy in their social standing, and the assortment of Wain’s art on display which won over cat lovers everywhere.
Andrea Riseborough, Sharon Rooney, Aimee Lou Wood, Hayley Squires, and Stacy Martin star as needy and disapproving sisters who Louis must care for and Toby Jones has a nice role here as friend and benefactor to Louis whose friendship helps support the struggling artist who never learned how to properly handle his money. The quirky nature of the film helps smooth over the rougher patches of Louis’ more bizarre ideas on electricity and cats, while also allowing the film to hit some dark themes without loosing its light touch. Like Wain’s work, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain may be fluff, but it’s pretty darn good fluff.
Watch the trailer