As Harvey Weinstein learned the hard way with “The Current War,” your traditional Oscar bait style movie isn’t going to play with pundits this year. So it remains to be seen how “Breathe” will weather a very competitive Oscar season, but it certainly looks like Andrew Garfield‘s performance will be one that’s hard to ignore.
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Directed by Andy Serkis (without a mo-cap suit in site), and co-starring rising actress Claire Foy (“The Crown,” the new Lisbeth Salander), the drama tells the true story of Robin Cavendish, a man stricken by polio, but who refused to be defined by it. Along the way, he raises a family, sees the world, and inspires others who afflicted with the disease. Here’s the official synopsis:
For his directorial debut, Andy Serkis brings to life the inspiring true love story between Robin and Diana Cavendish (Academy Award® nominee Andrew Garfield, Golden Globe® winner Claire Foy), an adventurous couple who refuse to give up in the face of a devastating disease. When Robin is struck down by polio at the age of 28, he is confined to a hospital bed and given only a few months to live. With the help of Diana’s twin brothers (Tom Hollander) and the groundbreaking ideas of inventor Teddy Hall (Hugh Bonneville), Robin and Diana dare to escape the hospital ward to seek out a full and passionate life together — raising their young son, traveling and devoting their lives to helping other polio patients.
Running the festival gauntlet hard — the film premiered at TIFF, and screens at BFI London Film Festival, Mill Valley Film Festival, Zurich Film Festival, Hamptons International Film Festival, and Chicago International Film Festival — “Breathe” opens on October 13th.