Happiness is not something that can be given or bought for you. Its birth starts inside of you. For this reason, I felt the movie was lifeless, that Albert Nobbs, played by Glenn Close (Dangerous Liaisons, Air Force One), was an odd character. I felt no matter what Albert did there was never a solid foundation where her/his emotions could bloom. Glenn played this role live on stage years ago, but I do not understand why she wanted to bring it to the big screen. Set in Dublin, Ireland in the late 19th century, Albert Nobbs was born a woman but living her life as a man. Was it because she was a lesbian, or was it because women had very few opportunities open to them in business, or maybe because she felt she was a man trapped in a woman’s body? I never found the reasons why. As a butler working at a hotel, Albert had a dream of opening up a small business for himself. But with no sense on his ability to be truly joyous, I did not believe Albert would ever find true happiness.  As a result, the movie was dry for me; I did not find an emotional connection to the character. The real star of this movie was the painter, Hubert Page, hired by the hotel. This character had life, purpose and emotions. It was a powerful performance. By the end of the movie, I simply felt tired and thought, what was the point of this film? As I left the theater, I did treat myself to some ice cream and felt better.

2 1/3 stars

http://youtu.be/P-BF1YE9BEM