Is it worth $10? No

In “Albert Nobbs,” almost every character is a pathetic lost soul, incapable of happiness and devoid of realistic hope. This includes the titular Albert (Glenn Close), a woman secretly masquerading as a man to earn more money but doing nothing constructive with the earnings.

Yes, Albert is saving to open a tobacco shop. He has visions of grandeur, but no real sense of how to make it happen. He works as a waiter at the Morrison Hotel in 19th century Dublin. His co-workers run the gamut from the pretty young waitress (Mia Wasikowska) to the bossy hostess (Pauline Collins) to the grizzly old doctor (Brendan Gleeson). The one true friend Albert has is Hubert Page (Janet McTeer), a painter who carries the same secret Albert has and gives Albert a sense of direction.

Both Glenn Close and Janet McTeer were nominated for their performances (Actress and Supporting Actress, respectively), and not surprisingly, as the Academy loves to reward physical transformation. Although both are good, it is the makeup (which was also nominated) that is the real triumph. Already physically bigger than Close, McTeer lowers her voice and more convincingly pulls off her performance. Close, however, relies much more on body language, walking and facial expressions to convey Albert’s reserved nature. It’s a tough performance, but it’s so reserved that it will not blow you away.

Moreover, the film is a bit of a bore. Not enough happens to warrant 113 minutes of movie, and the slow pace by director Rodrigo Garcia does no favors in terms of generating interest. Faithful Oscar watchers will feel obligated to see “Albert Nobbs” because of the nominations, but be warned that a shoulder shrug and saying, “what was the big deal about that?” will follow.

Did you know?
In addition to starring as Albert, Glenn Close also co-wrote and produced.

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