Quick Links
Tom Hiddlestonis an English actor who rose to fame by portraying Norse God Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, starting in 2011. His charming smile and powerful delivery of lines have made him gain dedicated fans all around the world. Few know, however, that Hiddleston is a classically trained actor. If his career took some time to take off since his graduation from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 2005, Hiddleston did have a narrow relationship with director Joanna Hogg during his quieter years, and they both had their silver screen debut in her 2007 movieUnrelated.
Three years later, one of the most controversial works by the English filmmaker was released.Archipelago, a drama filmabout familial ties and struggles, received a 96% rating from critics and 59% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, which is a significant disparity. Let’s take a look at the film and the reasons for it beingthe highest-rated project in Hiddleston’s career, according to critics.
A Family Drama Starring Loki’s Tom Hiddleston
InArchipelago, Hiddleston plays Edward, the son of an upper-class English family, who is preparing a trip to Africato combat AIDS. As a goodbye party, his family organizes a trip to a house in the Isles of Scilly: his mother Patrica (Kate Fahy), his sister Cynthia (Lydia Leonard), and the promise that Patricia’s estranged husband might come. As well as the family, two strangers are present in the house: Christopher (Christopher Baker), a painter here to teach Patricia how to paint landscapes, and Rose (Amy Lloyd), who will cook for them during the trip.
Why Tom Hiddleston Should be the Next James Bond
From being a British heart-throb to devouring action roles, Tom Hiddleston checks off all the boxes necessary to be the new James Bond.
If, at first, the family rejoices to finally be together again, things soon turn sour. Edward and Cynthia are in constant disagreement, which reaches a climax when Cynthia says once again that Rose cannot have dinner with them all as she is just the help.Edward also becomes suspicious of his mother, who, not-so-subtly, keeps giving him hints that he should not move forward with his humanitarian mission, although he cannot understand why. Finally, despite having a girlfriend who was not invited on the trip (much to his anger), Edward becomes close to Rose and tries to seduce her. The trip ends with the three family members shallowly reconciling, and Edward is now even more unsure of what to do with his life.
Archipelago Was a Critical Success for Its Portrayal of Family Struggles
Archipelagowas a complete hit with critics, reaching the rare height of 96% on Rotten Tomatoes. The setup of an open-nature huis-clos is unique and compelling, as the characters don’t have much choice but to be together, forced to make the character-driven plot move forward. Their dialogue is few and measured, letting body language and shot composition speak for themselves. Finally, the painter (and a chef who appears during one scene)are not professional actors, which adds a quaint charm next to the classically trained thespians.
There was rarely such an aptly named movie asArchipelago. Archipelagos are nearby islands grouped together but never touching.The family and outsiders of this movie are like islands in an archipelago, forced to be together but standing their ground and never truly interacting. The result is a sadness-tainted but beautifully crafted tableau of family relationships once children are grown up, and more specifically in upper-class families, where it may be hard to express oneself.
Audiences Found It Hard to Relate to Archipelago
General reviewers did not likeArchipelagonearly as much as critics. A 59% audience score is far from the worst on the platform, but to see such a disparity from critics was surprising for the high-cinema drama. Part of this may be because it stars Tom Hiddleston, actually. If fans of the MCU look at the actor’s filmography and go back to watchArchipelagoexpecting a high-adrenaline action movie, they will be disappointed. However, the bigger issue probably lies in thatthe whole topic ofArchipelagois about the familial troubles of an upper-class family.
The top three movies on the moviereviewing platform Letterboxdare currentlyFight Club,Joker, andParasite. They are all movies about not fitting in and not being treated kindly by life. The last deals with class disparities, making the viewer root for a low-income family.This is an excellent representation of the overall feeling of the middle class in the current socio-political climate. Some viewers may not care to see the “struggles” of those who live comfortably to the point of being able to afford a massive cottage on an island, painting classes, or a personal cook, and this definitely works to the disadvantage ofArchipelago.
Best Joanna Hogg Movies, Ranked
From The Souvenir to, most recently, The Eternal Daughter, here are British filmmaker Joanna Hogg’s best movies, ranked.
Arguably,Archipelagois far from a bad movie. Its slow-burn analysis of family drama is helped by smartly sparse dialogue and long shots of this family that will not come together. Its shortcomings may be that its main actor’s later success overshadowed the simplicity of this film and that it deals with upper-class struggles, which is hard for some viewers to relate to. Nonetheless, it is a wonderful performance by Hiddleston and his cast mates and a great watch for true cinephiles.Archipelagois available to rent onPrime Video,Apple TV, andGoogle Play.
