If you’re going to make a biopic about J.R.R. Tolkien, you’d damned well better convey his passion for story and language. And, in this exclusive clip from Tolkien, you’ll see just that.
Directed by Dome Karukoski and starring Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road) and Lily Collins (Mirror Mirror), Tolkien tells the story of the author’s most formative years, as he struggled with school, love, and war, all ultimately leading to the creation of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and more.
What I like about this clip is that, while simple, it puts a pretty fine point on something this movie is trying to say about Tolkien. That yes, he made his own languages and was a little weird, but he also understood the power of language and the meaning of it.
As he hints at above, it’s not about the words. It’s about the stories—about passing on knowledge and inspiring people. Hopefully, Tolkien the film can do a bit of that too.
Tolkien opens June 13.