We all have our first times seeing our most beloved actors. And often we start to associate them with the first film or TV show we see them in. Benedict, Martin and Andrew with "Sherlock" and Christopher, David and Matt with "Doctor Who". But some day we start to wonder what they are like in other projects so we look up their filmography. After doing this for all the aforementioned actors except Matt I've also finally found the curiosity to look up his works and I found two very interesting movies.
So, the first movie in which I saw Matt Smith for the first time is called "Christopher and his kind". It's based upon a autobiography of the same name by Christopher Isherwood. Basically it's about Christopher (played by Matt) who moves from his home in England to Berlin in the year 1931. There he meets his old friend who takes him to a special places that relatively early makes clear that Christopher is a young, book-writing homosexual. The film now shows Christopher's life in Berlin where me meets other British people and falls in love with other men. As it can't be prevented in such a story you also see men kissing and having sex but one has to say that they don't overdo it in the movie with showing love scenes. And who doesn't want to see Matt without his clothes? ^_^ Okay there was the fangirl speaking. - Christopher meets a man called Heinz with whom he really seems to be in love. He wants to be part of his life and always stands by his side. You can see that Christopher cares for him because at the time the Nazis and Hitler take over in Germany Christopher recognises they have to leave because their sexuality will not be accepted. So of they go in a future which is never quite clear.
The story itself is a very interesting one especially if you think about the fact that the life of Christopher Isherwood has really happened. I find the topic itself very fascinating and since I'm also German it was interesting to see how the gay community was in the thirties. Another great part for me in this movie is the fact that you get Matt Smith speaking German what for me was obviously great fun to watch. Though I have to say, since I know it's difficult to speak German if you're a native English speaker, his German was quite well to understand. There were only a few sentences which were funny to listen to but he did a good job with his German parts. But then you also have to say that the Germans English in the movie is also not always the best, especially when some of them try to pronounce Christopher's last name ^_^ One has to say that you will not get thrilling action or big discussions but I personally think the movie doesn't need that. I have to say that maybe some people who will watch the movie are just sitting through until the end because Matt Smith is in it but if you're open for an interesting and well-staged biography you will get a good story. The characters are written brilliantly and you find yourself clinging on to them and thinking about their situations in such a difficult time. And every actor and actress did a great job even if they just had a small part. Matt Smith, as nearly always, gives a great portrait of his character in this movie. He doesn't play Christopher as a stereotype gay man, he plays him naturally, emotionally and also very seriously if needed. You get a very good portrait of Christopher Isherwood because Matt Smith gives him a honest and believable character and you don't get the feeling that Matt has any problems with the role of Christopher.
The second movie I saw today has the name "Womb" or "Clone" (it has been changed for special DVD stuff). It focuses on the story of Rebecca and Tommy. They have been best friends when they were young but then Rebecca had to go to Japan to live with her mother. The two don't see each other for twelve years. Rebecca comes back to their old home and finds Tommy who still likes her very much. Rebecca and Tommy restart their relationship and are again spending much time with each other. One day they are taking a trip to Wellness Centre because Tommy's activist group is panning something there. They stop for a second because Rebecca needs to pee. Tommy gets out of the car as well but gets hit by car and dies still lying on the street. Rebecca and Tommy's parents are having their saddest days ever but Rebecca doesn't want to accept Tommy's death. She explains his parents the possibility of bringing Tommy back if they take his DNA from his dead body and let her have a baby, a new Tommy. The mother objects but the father gives in and Rebecca gives birth to a second Tommy whom she raises as her son. And so a sometimes difficult life begins for Rebecca and Tommy. Especially after some years when Tommy is older and near the age "Tommy 1" died and has a girlfriend the relationship and understanding between him and Rebecca becomes more difficult with every day.
This movie follows a brilliant and fascinating idea because you see yourself also confronted with the rules of society. Rebecca, played by Eva Green, is played brilliantly and you feel yourself put into her character. The movie manages it to portray this difficult and rather unusual scenario in a very emotional and serious way that you really want to know how Rebecca is going to handle the relationship with Tommy. You will catch yourself hoping that even though Tommy is Rebecca's son that the two of them could just be together as Rebecca remembers it but at the same time you fell sorry for Tommy because for so many years he doesn't know who he really is and has a, maybe for him, unexplainable close relationship with his mother. Matt Smith plays Tommy in a astonishing honest and emotional way. This role shows again how brilliantly Matt can play a characters who is actually a happy man but then over time has his dark and very serious even furious times. Especially in the discussions and conversations with the character of Rebecca Matt manages it to make the audience put into his situation. While watching this movie you always feel very attached to the two main characters because both Eva Green and Matt Smith play them very, very well and emotionally.
Both movies are definitely worth a watch through my personal favourite of the two is "Womb". You get brilliant acting of Matt Smith in both stories though he plays two very different characters. And you will notice again that the personality of Matt himself never gets lost in the movies because there are always the little moments where you have this young man with a bright smile behaving sometimes somehow childish and full of happiness. Matt Smith is a great actor and I hope that after his brilliant acting in "Doctor Who" he will get more new roles so he can finally expand his talent more and give us many awesome portraits of interesting people.
"Christopher and his kind": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hjidIaTYiE
"Womb": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r_kkK9yCqY
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