23 Apr Ronald and his friends
Podcast:
“Tolkien” is a biopic of John Roland Reuel Tolkien directed by Don Karukoski. The film premiered in May 2019. Nicholas Hoult, who as a kid appeared beside Hugh Grant in the comedy “About a Boy”, starred as the writer, whereas Lily Collins played the role of Edith Bratt. The youth probably know her from the film “Love, Rosie” (2014).
The action of “Tolkien” is set in Great Britain and shows the young years of Roland as an orphan, but also as a student who is developing his enormous passion for languages and literature. Tolkien befriends his peers who are connected by fellowship and hobbies. The young people inspire each other to create through music and poetry, as well as literature. Roland soon meets a young pianist, Edith, who he falls in love with nearly at once.
The film shows the reality of the 20th century England, but also , thanks to lots of flashbacks, it’s possible to see the affairs of the main character’s childhood.
Music is the element that is worth paying special attention to. It’s really impressive. Thanks to the sounds of the instruments, Thomas Newman created a wonderful pensive and thought-provoking atmosphere. The actors didn’t disappoint the viewers, either. Thanks to them, we can observe the standards of living in that era; for example, hiding emotions when in public places and enthusiastic private chats. Moreover, the appropriate outfits and accessories recapture those years’ vibrations and inform about the social status of the characters. It’s worth mentioning that both actors are English, and that’s why the film enables one to become familiar with British pronunciation. Of course, there are also special effects and fantastic monsters, and though they sometimes distort the actual picture of reality, they are skillfully worked into the plot, and they don’t overpower the most important messages of the film.
I highly recommend this production, since it touches a few relevant aspects worth discussing when working with young people, namely: friendship, love and passion. On top of that, it’s worth remembering that behind each piece of work of a creator, there are also intriguing experiences and attitudes from which we can learn a lot.
Aside from the fact that some biographical facts probably could have been presented more meticulously, and that the influence of war experience on the writer’s work could be challenged, the film is truly worth recommending. It brings out many aspects worth discussing, which we would like to take into consideration in the work with the young people. That’s why we’ve prepared the following worksheet:
Tolkien – watch&discuss.
