In a marked departure from her usual goofy comedies, Rebel Wilson has spread her wings in a drama about the fortitude of partners slogging through the slow hell of watching loved ones disappear due to memory loss. She co-stars with Charlotte Gainsbourg in The Almond and the Seahorse, playing against type with a host of prestige creative talent. She’s miles away from Pitch Perfect.
Here’s the official synopsis:
“Based on the play by Kaite O’Reilly, The Almond and the Seahorse is the directorial debut of both notable actor and BAFTA-nominated screenwriter Celyn Jones; and Academy Award and BAFTA-nominated cinematographer Tom Stern. Sarah (Rebel Wilson) is an archaeologist who loves her husband Joe (Celyn Jones) but after a traumatic brain injury (TBI) their love is trapped in the past. Toni (Charlotte Gainsbourg) is an architect and loves her partner Gwen (Trine Dyrholm) but after a TBI they have been imprisoned in a fifteen-year loop. Love is the only thing that keeps them all going but something has changed, and both Sarah and Toni are determined to not let it all unravel as they face their fears of being forgotten by the people they love most.”
First of all, it’s wonderful that, even in a prestige drama, the characters still have rom-com jobs. Second of all, Wilson looks strong but subdued here. She’s spoken publicly about discovering her own trouble having children, relating it to her character in the film who is desperate to be a mom, so it’s easy to imagine that shining through. Meanwhile, Gainsbourg never falters, and the subject matter here is rich.
The Almond and the Seahorse hits theaters on December 16th.