How does an artist define themself outside of their medium? Louis Wain became known for his whimsical cat pictures, but his life was far more intriguing and complicated. “The Electrical Life of Louis Wain” takes viewers through the eccentric true story as he navigates his world and an unexpected element of romance.
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Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Wain, a man balancing the responsibilities of his family with a love for his wife. Claire Foy portrays Wain’s spouse Emily Richardson. Cumberbatch is winning raves for his performance in Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog,” while Foy can be seen in the upcoming “A Very British Scandal” and “The Crown.” The pair are joined by an outstanding cast of supporting actors, including Toby Jones, Andrea Riseborough, Sharon Rooney, Aimee Lou Wood, Hayley Squires, Stacy Martin, Phoebe Nicholls, Adeel Akhtar, Asim Chaudhry, Richard Ayoade, and Julian Barratt. Taika Waititi makes a cameo in the film along with a special appearance by singer-songwriter Nick Cave. Olivia Coleman also lends her voice to the project as narrator. ‘Wain’ comes from writer and director Will Sharpe. The multi-hyphenate, known for creating Channel 4’s “Flowers,” teamed up with Simon Stephenson on the screenplay.
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The film’s official synopsis:
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The extraordinary true story of eccentric British artist Louis Wain (Benedict Cumberbatch), whose playful, sometimes even psychedelic pictures helped to transform the public’s perception of cats forever. Moving from the late 1800s through to the 1930s, we follow the incredible adventures of this inspiring, unsung hero as he seeks to unlock the “electrical” mysteries of the world and, in so doing, to better understand his own life and the profound love he shared with his wife Emily Richardson (Claire Foy).
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Ron Halpern, Didier Lupfer, Dan MacRae, Julia Oh, Ollie Madden, Daniel Battsek, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Simon Stephenson are executive producers. “The Electrical Life of Louis Wain” will open in a limited theatrical release on October 22 and will debut on Prime Video November 5. Watch the official trailer below.