"It still is."
Set in the 1980s, Empire Of Light is primarily a love letter to the magic of cinema and the beautiful but dying picture palaces that made cinemagoing a true experience (as opposed to many modern cinemas that feel like a visit to an industrial warehouse). Couched within is a sincere and carefully-wrought exploration of loneliness, isolation and mental illness. Olivia Colman - as expected - is exquisite, portraying the shy cinema duty manager Hilary through coping, falling apart and recovery with her usual credibility and honesty, who finds a burgeoning connection with new recruit Stephen, played with enormous sensitivity by Micheal Ward. The film juggles a lot of big themes, and the blatantly horrible racism of the time plays out rather bluntly (but reflects the stark ignorance of some attitudes of the day). As Hilary's breakdown progresses, the steady precision of the first half gives way to uncomfortable unpredictability and a much looser style, reflecting her state of mind effectively. Director/writer Mendes and cinematographer Roger Deakins have crafted a melancholy but also gently uplifting reflective piece on life and those times.
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