Romantic biographical drama starring Rosamund Pike. Together with her husband Pierre, scientist Marie Curie makes incredible breakthroughs during the early 20th century, including the discovery of radioactivity. Over the years, she faces sexism, public scepticism and personal tragedy, but remains committed to her research.
Rosamund Pike adds another powerful portrait to her filmography in this drama that explores the life and legacy of the Nobel prize-winning scientist Marie Curie. Director Marjane Satrapi, the Iranian-French former graphic novelist who directed Persepolis, proves an enterprising choice. Expanding on the familiar template of the fusty period biopic, she takes a discursive approach that illustrates how Curie's discoveries in radiation impacted the world for good (cancer treatment) and ill (Hiroshima, Chernobyl). That makes for a somewhat unwieldy film with exposition-heavy dialogue, yet Pike's steely central turn holds it all together. She brings to life a person rather than an icon, excavating the layers in a fiercely contrary character who battles academic complacency, institutional sexism and the moral indignation of the French public. An ambitiously flawed yet uncommonly fascinating effort.
| role | name |
|---|---|
| Marie Curie | Rosamund Pike |
| Pierre Curie | Sam Riley |
| Irene Curie | Anya Taylor-Joy |
| Paul Langevin | Aneurin Barnard |
| Hetreed | Jonathan Aris |
| Gabriel Lippmann | Simon Russell Beale |
| Bronia | Sian Brooke |
| Adam Warner | Corey Johnson |
| role | name |
|---|---|
| Director | Marjane Satrapi |
