Critics Wowed by DEATH OF A SUPERHERO Following its Screening at Toronto Festival
Following its screening at the world famous Toronto International Film Festival earlier this month, Ian Fitzgibbon's DEATH OF A SUPERHERO has been creating waves among the critics with Screen Daily describing it as an "...astutely made film, which blends live action with animation" with clever switches and a "strong series of central performances."
Based on the novel ‘Death of a Superhero' by internationally acclaimed author Anthony McCarten, who also wrote the screenplay, DEATH OF A SUPERHERO stars Andy Serkis (The Lord of the Rings, Ink Heart), Thomas Brodie Sangster (Love Actually, Nowhere Boy), Michael McElhatton (Intermission, Adam & Paul, I Went Down), Jessica Schwarz (Perfume, The Door) and Aisling Loftus.
The film follows Donald Clarke (Thomas Brodie Sanster) who, like most teenage boys craves sex and adventure but, unfortunately has a fatal disease. He's gifted, and has found a way to bring his considerable imagination to life through graphic art and comic drawings. When Shelly arrives on the scene, cool and different from all the other girls, Donald falls for her and the rest of his life suddenly looks a lot brighter with her around....
Critics on Variety wrote "Two stand-out performances from Brodie Sangster and Andy Serkis..... Serkis is something of a revelation..... FitzGibbon has achieved something special"
Screen Daily wrote "impressive cast and moving storyline.... Serkis and Brodie Sangster form a convincing and subtle bond".
The film has also been described by the Toronto Film Scene as "an exceptional coming-of-age story" that "should delight anyone interested in the artistic use of superheroes to relate metaphysical conflict and the violence within".
DEATH OF A SUPERHERO is the second of Fitzgibbon's feature films to be selected for Toronto as his last feature film Perrier's Bounty screened two years ago. It was produced by Michael Garland for Grand Pictures (Ireland) and Astrid Kahmke and Philipp Kreuzer for Bavaria Pictures, it was funded by the Bord Scannán na hÉireann/ the Irish Film Board, German Federal Film Board, FilmFersehFonds Bavaria, Bavarian Banking Fund and MEDIA.
Read the Screen Daily review here
http://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the-latest/-death-of-a-superhero/5032581.article