The Story

Synopsis

Sam (Colin Firth) and Tusker (Stanley Tucci) have been together for twenty years. Sam is a professional pianist; Tusker is a celebrated novelist. They are also amateur stargazers — captivated by the brief, violent brilliance of supernovae, stars that burn brightest at the moment of their death.

Tusker has recently been diagnosed with early-onset dementia. His decline is gradual but irreversible.

The couple take their beloved campervan and their dog Ruby on a road trip through the English Lake District, visiting places they love, stopping to attend a party in Tusker’s honour with old friends. As the journey unfolds, both men must face what the future holds — and whether what each of them wants is the same thing.

Written and directed by Harry Macqueen, Supernova is a quiet film about an enormous grief — about love, memory, agency and what it means to hold on and to let go.

The Players

Cast

Colin Firth
Sam
Stanley Tucci
Tusker

Production

Notes

90% Rotten Tomatoes NY Times Critics’ Pick ★★★★ Washington Post BAFTA Shortlisted

Critical Reception

Reviews

Variety

“Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci gently smash your heart to smithereens… their joint thespian grace and reserve takes on an undertow of raging, disorganized despair.”

Roger Ebert’s site — Glenn Kenny

“Spectacularly moving. One of the best films of the year, and one of the most honest portrayals of love under pressure I’ve ever seen.”

The Washington Post — ★★★★

“A beautifully crafted, quietly devastating film. Both performances are extraordinary.”

The Guardian

“Firth shows us new depths — a man who loves without conditions but whose helplessness is the source of his grief. It is one of his finest performances.”

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