Xavier Dolan seems to occupy quite a unique place in the contemporary cinematic landscape. He’s a director who has had some enormous accusations levelled against him, especially in recent years – his penchant for melodrama, often overwrought storylines and his tendency towards excess are all qualities that seem to be used to deride him by his critics, but are openly embraced by his followers, who understand these are all traits of a filmmaker so fully in command of his craft, he doesn’t need to prove himself through giving audiences what they think they want, rather flourishing in his ability to provide us with the unexpected works that we didn’t even know we needed. One of his recent films, The Death & Life of John F. Donovan was unfairly savaged by critics and audiences, who seemed to be unable to recognize the ambition underlying this work. Not only being Dolan’s English-language debut, but also his most audacious film in both theme and scope, his work here was remarkable, if only because of the sheer spectacle he presents to us, and the fact that this is such a distinctive example of why he’s one of the great young auteurs of his generation, capable of enormously complex stories that feel so intimidating in theory, but manage to be intimate explorations of the human spirit, and incredible pilgrimages to the inner core of society. In no uncertain terms, The Death & Life of John F. Donovan is a messy film, but it’s an ambitious one at that, the rare kind of piece that benefits from a director with the pluck and confidence to make something as bold and daring at this. While Dolan is someone who has often taken risks, this film sees him leaping into unknown territory, and the reactions have certainly been mixed – but in this case, his sheer audacity paid off, as he made a film that dares to challenge the very fabric of some seemingly-sacrosanct social concepts, which works out exceptionally well for such an intrepid masterwork, and one that is as unapologetic as it is extraordinarily gripping.

The film takes place in two time periods – in 2017, Rupert Turner (Ben Schnetzer) is a young actor who has just released a book that has taken the entertainment industry by storm – entitled Letters to a Young Actor, the book chronicles his years-long correspondence with the now-deceased John F. Donovan (Kit Harington), a promising actor on the precipice of stardom, with their long-distance friendship reaching its apex about a decade before. Donovan was the star of a successful television show and seems to be the favourite for a highly-coveted franchise role that would launch him towards worldwide fame, which only makes him more of an idol to young people like Rupert. A journalist (Thandie Newton) reluctantly interviews present-day Rupert about his relationship with Donovan, and how 2006 was a tumultuous year for both of them – Rupert (played as a child by Jacob Tremblay) was still a child growing up in England, and his idolization for the older actor was kept a strict secret, especially from his mother (Natalie Portman), a failed actress herself. Meanwhile, in New York, Donovan tries to grapple with various aspects of fame – he is steadily on the ascent, being almost universally beloved and often seen as the next big thing, with his fame only steadily growing as a result of a hardworking team of people tirelessly turning this ordinary man from the suburbs into a star. However, beneath the charm there are many secrets that he can’t bring himself to admit – his sexuality, his struggles with addiction and his difficulties in living up to the expectations of a society who don’t see him as a person, but as a bankable entity. The two lives intersect in a series of letters that see both Rupert and Donovan speaking directly about their own troubles, finding the solace in this correspondence that they can’t ever find in reality – yet, what happens when these very private moments become the folly of the general public?

There’s something so compelling about The Death & Life of John F. Donovan, even when it’s at its most convoluted, which is one of the most common criticisms levelled against this film. Dolan’s ascent to acclaim has been one that hasn’t been undeserved – he’s far more than just the child prodigy whose early rise was a result of his younger age working alongside a certain artistic maturity in how he narratively and visually composed his films, but rather a director whose career made great use of his youthful perspective, with his understanding of his generation being far more potent and grounded than the work done by older filmmakers looking at these same themes. This film is a radical departure from some of the director’s most distinctive qualities, not only being his first film in English, but also his most audacious film in terms of the themes that he centres this film around. He’s not solely limited to the realm of family or interpersonal drama but is now looking at a cross-continental story about two individuals seemingly lost in a world they don’t understand. There’s a deeper meaning to this film that isn’t always clear, especially because the biggest shortcoming of the film is some narrative inconsistency (no doubt a result of too much editing, with entire characters being outright removed from the film), which causes some problems in how the narrative flows, removing some of the rhythms the director’s work normally demonstrates. It’s far from being all that distracting and is a relatively minor problem, but the odd pacing of the film often detracts from the exceptional power this story harbours. It also doesn’t conceal the fact that beneath the sometimes uneven execution, there’s a certain maturity underpinning the film, which indicates that Dolan has grown as an artist, and is exploring newer avenues of filmmaking in a way that isn’t defiant to his style, but rather adapts it in a very distinct way, showing he’s an artist not content to rest on his laurels, but rather go in search of something new. For every criticism thrown at this film, there’s proof that The Death & Life of John F. Donovan represents a director taking a sometimes bold leap towards a change in style and concept, which may cause this film to falter in certain instances, but makes it nonetheless captivating, as the initiative behind this film, and its underlying purpose, often creating something that may be somewhat disorderly, but is no less fascinating.

The greatest merit of The Death & Life of John F. Donovan is that it’s a film made by a director who is profoundly sensitive to the themes he is exploring, with Dolan’s poignant approach to the intricacies of the human spirit being predominant in this film, most notably in the quiet moments when the characters are at their most vulnerable. This film is not made to satiate some artistic craving, but to be a deeply moving exploration of the human condition. This demonstrates Dolan once again making use of his empathetic understanding of modern life, with the film featuring some of his most heartwrenching commentary on existence. The film sometimes flirts with being overblown – this is a clearly a stylistic choice that runs through all of Dolan’s film, with his manipulation of melodrama being an artistic choice to create tension and allow the inner quandaries of his characters to be dissected in a meaningful way. It deftly navigates the boundary between melodrama and gritty realism, which is only bolstered by Dolan’s distinctive stylistic flair which frames these characters in such a deeply compelling way. The tension that arises in a way that is intentionally potent, but never overwhelming. The best way to look at this film is through surrendering yourself to this labyrinthine odyssey of modern culture, where Dolan quite fearlessly leaps into the twisted world of celebrity and fame through his intentionally complex exploration of a side of the entertainment industry that is rarely viewed with this kind of overt sincerity, which is another area in which Dolan regularly delivers brilliant work, with the film deftly avoiding satire, but having the same intricate approach to commenting on the vicious nature of the industry.

The film is mainly a portrait of two young men from opposite ends of the social spectrum interacting and finding common ground, despite their differences. One of Dolan’s most distinctive qualities is his ability to create compelling characters, being someone who often gives his actors worthwhile roles that see them expanding on their craft. The Death & Life of John F. Donovan has Dolan’s most star-studded cast (at least from an English-speaking perspective), and he clearly recognizes the value of these actors – with the exception of Jessica Chastain, who was cut out entirely. Seeing Dolan work with established performers like Natalie Portman, Kathy Bates and Susan Sarandon is worth the price of admission alone, and while they may not have particularly large roles, they’re all given moments where they deliver powerful monologues that speak to the theatrical nature of the film – Bates and Sarandon, in particular, may only appear in a handful of scenes, but they play a pivotal role in propelling the film forward. However, The Death & Life of John F. Donovan belongs entirely to the two men at the centre, played by Jacob Tremblay and Kit Harington. The former continues to prove that he’s a genuinely gifted young actor, and someone who doesn’t only need to rely on his childlike exuberance to delight the audience, but his incredible ability to play such a tricky role with profound sensitivity, being extremely aware that the character of Rupert is far more complex than his younger years would imply. Harington continues to prove himself as a talented actor beyond the confines of his iconic character of Jon Snow, pursuing interesting work that relies on more than just his charm. The titular character in The Death & Life of John F. Donovan was always going to be a challenging role, and while Harington does falter occasionally, he ultimately gives the performance that is the perfect combination of machismo and insecurity, more than enough to qualify this as a worthwhile step forward in his career. The cast of The Death & Life of John F. Donovan is certainly brimming with talent, and while some of these actors could’ve been better used, they’re all still tremendously satisfying additions to an audacious, character-driven film.

Ultimately, The Death & Life of John F. Donovan is a film about celebrity, and the pratfalls of fame. This may be very different from what we normally expect from the director – the majority of his work is set within families or circles of friends, and derive their stories through the connections between these people. However, the same profound intimacy is present here, albeit in a very different form, where the director is taking on a broader set of thematic ideas. The Death & Life of John F. Donovan seems to be heavily informed by the timeless adage of “everyone has their fifteen minutes of fame”, with Dolan using this as a point from which to launch a powerful manifesto on the perils of fame, crafting one of the bleakest and uncompromisingly dark representations of how one’s soul can be destroyed by the machinations of the Hollywood machine. This film coming around the time Dolan started venturing off into non-directorial work, working as an actor in a variety of bigger films, could not have been merely coincidental – for all of his faults, Dolan always has a firm grasp on the culture’s collective pulse, and it’s likely that in this film, he’s sharing his own insights into an industry notoriously known for dismissing those who are no longer bankable. The structure of the film allows the director to provide a poignant exploration of the various facets of fame, both in the glamorous moments when someone is at their peak, as well as the heartwrenching despair that occurs when someone is in decline. Moreover, the film also looks at the legacy that comes with an untimely death – Dolan’s decision to focus this film on an actor who died (whether by accidental overdose or suicide, it isn’t ever made clear), and thus cemented his legacy as a tragic figure. The message being conveyed is that you can either live a failure or die a misunderstood hero, with your legacy in death being far more embraced than your struggles in life.

There’s a certain poignancy about this film that compensates for the sometimes questionable choices Dolan makes in how he portrays the life of the main character. The Death & Life of John F. Donovan isn’t just a cautionary tale of fame and how it takes a toll on those who experience it – there’s an even deeper commentary on broader issues, such as that of masculinity. Both of the main characters endure some kind of questioning of their position in the heteronormative culture, struggling with the perception that they don’t fit in the confines of what someone in their respective social role should adhere to. For Rupert, it’s being a young man more obsessed with the star of a show than the character he plays, with his idolization of the actor superseding everything else, causing him to be perceived as different from his classmates, who deride him for his apparent obsession. The statement on going against the norms of masculinity are most potently represented in Donovan, who is caught between his personal and professional life – he’s constructed as the epitome of masculinity, someone who is admired by men and adored by women, which is a role he plays well, to the point where no one actually knew who John F. Donovan actually was. This manifests in his private interactions with the objects of his own desires, another young actor whose sexual curiosity and interest in Donovan are also hidden to allow his own career to grow. Dolan has been someone who has never shied away from taking on difficult issues of finding yourself – Schnetzer’s character even says towards the beginning of The Death & Life of John F. Donovan that his book is about identity, which is an overriding theme in this film, where each of the characters, central or peripheral, are shown to be performing a certain identity. The public eye is always discerning, and Dolan crafts a poignant story of how regardless of who we are, the expectation to align ourselves with one particular identity – whether for fame, respect or just acceptance – is inevitable, regardless of how truthful we believe ourselves to be. This is where the film makes the most impact, in showing that beneath even the most enduring public adoration, there’s the same insecurity and despair all of us feel in times of great uncertainty.

The Death & Life of John F. Donovan is not a perfect film – in fact, it’s often mismatched and poorly-calibrated, especially considering its tremendous concept. However, this doesn’t distract from the value of the film, and it’s often in the rough edges that Dolan manages to convey the most meaning. This film speaks to the director’s talent, which comes from his ability to capture the spirit of human existence in a way no one else can. He seems to be able to feel every emotion more deeply than other auteurs, which allow his films to resonate with such extraordinary intensity. The Death & Life of John F. Donovan is not a film that makes an immediate impact – it requires some rumination, where the viewer ponders this very disconcerting but unconventionally beautiful tale of the intersections between fame and identity. No one else could have made this film in the way that Dolan did – his stylish execution, use of melodrama in a very effective way, and his intricate understanding of the themes he is proposing at the centre of the film all go towards creating a compelling, if not heartwrenching, cultural tale. The film certainly won’t work for everyone – the clunky editing, sometimes overwrought dialogue and inappropriate intensity may deter some viewers, but beneath the excess there is a brilliant piece, something that is either a misunderstood masterpiece or a cult classic in the making. Either way, The Death & Life of John F. Donovan is far from a forgettable affair, and Dolan continues to prove himself as one of the most essential young voices in cinema today, and his movement into more mature territory only signals the director continuing to find a new depth to his style, which will hopefully continue to work in tandem with his distinct audacity to craft more poignant, humane masterpieces in the future.