I really wanted to like this movie from the director of Nico 1977 about Eleanor Marx, but unfortunately it is dissatisfying in multiple ways. Most of it plays like a normal period biopic, but every now and again it tries to be punk. The reluctance to commit to being subversive means that the abrupt changes in tone are distracting rather than illuminating. Also, the way that it takes the life of a fascinating woman and focuses on her relationship with a shitty man means that everything interesting about her takes a back seat to relationship melodrama. Poor music choices throughout hurt it further. Fairly frequent resorting to expositionary monologue keeps the pace deadly.

If it was more ambitious it could be great, but as it is it’s like a cake that was taken out of the oven too soon. A real shame.