Charles Dickens was an English writer and one of the most famous novelists of the Victorian period. But what you probably didn’t know is that he was deeply unhappy in his home life, which lead to a love affair with a much younger woman. The film itself, energetically directed by the amazing Ralph Fiennes (who also plays a middle aged Dickens) can’t always rise to the level of its two dynamo actors, but it’s gripping and very moving at times. The settings are majestic, the costumes quite beautiful. But the icing on the cake is the cast, led by Fiennes in an unforgettable performance, Felicity Jones who plays the woman Dickens falls in love with, Kristin Scott Thomas, Tom Hollander and Joanna Scanlan in a heartbreaking performance as the writer’s wife. The challenge of any historical drama is to engage us so that we’re not passively observing a series of events, but actively involved in the characters and their story. Screenwriter Abi Morgan has drawn on many sources to create a rich and rewarding screenplay that tells a story that many people may not know about the famous writer. If you’re a fan of Dickens or his work, consider “The Invisible Woman” a must see.

Rating: 3/4