Elsinore Review: Andrew Scott Gives One Of The Year’s Best Performances [TIFF]

Scott leaves a lasting impression in this true story drama about an iconic Scottish actor playing Hamlet on stage during the final weeks of his life.

Published Sep 13, 2026, 9:18 AM EDT

Josh is a film critic and journalist with over nine years of experience in the entertainment industry. Entering the field at just 17 years old, Josh went on to make his own website, The HoloFiles, and social media brand Star Wars Holocron, the most followed Star Wars fan account on Twitter/X.

A member of both the Chicago Indie Critics and the Hollywood Critics Alliance, Josh has covered major industry events including Star Wars Celebration and, most recently, CinemaCon for ScreenRant. His work has appeared in outlets such as Game Rant and Comic Book Resources (CBR), and he has been featured in publications including the BBC and The New York Times.

In 1989, acclaimed actor Daniel Day-Lewis signed on to play Hamlet in a stage production at the National Theatre in London. Day-Lewis had already completed some performances of the play when he, during a matinée showing, abruptly walked off-stage and left the production. It was later revealed the actor had become so connected to the role that he suffered a hallucination, believing that his late father had appeared on stage.

That left the production with a huge issue: an audience expecting to see an iconic Shakespearean play, but no actor to play the title role. To ease this crisis, in stepped Scottish actor Ian Charleson, best known for his role in the Oscar-winning film Chariots of Fire. However, he himself also had his struggles while playing the character; the actor was suffering from AIDS. The disease had already advanced significantly, and although he was getting weaker by the day, Charleson still performed as the iconic character (almost) daily.

This incredible true story is the focus of the new film Elsinore. In the role of Charleson is Andrew Scott, who is joined by castmates Olivia Colman, Billie Piper, and Joe Locke. The film showcases not only Charleson’s success acting on stage, but the brutal reality of his fight against AIDS. It’s a heartbreaking movie, but one that also has overt themes of inspiration and strength.

Andrew Scott Shines In A Difficult Role

Portraying Ian Charleson isn’t an easy task for Andrew Scott. For starters, he had an illustrious career, and goes down as one of the most recognized actors in British history. That alone provides significant pressure, but adding to that challenge is the complicated personal life that Charleson had. As a closeted gay man, he hid his sexuality from the public eye for decades, only revealing the truth after his death in 1990.

All in all, Charleson was an incredibly complex man, meaning that any screen portrayal of him would need to successfully capture his many sides. Scott brilliantly does just that, and he’s able to pull this off because of one simple thing: He’s playing Charleson the man, with all his flaws and imperfections. It’s the authenticity he brings to the role that makes this one of the year’s very best performances.

Elsinore Is a Story Worth Telling

Elsinore works so well not only because of Scott’s performance, but because of the broader story at hand. It’s genuinely moving, and is bound to produce some tears in audiences. (One scene toward the end, during which Charleson’s life flashes before his eyes, is particularly touching.)

Elsinore benefits from this emotional nature, as well as from how relatable it is. Millions of people all around the world have been impacted by the HIV/AIDS crisis, whether it’s affected them or a loved one. That approachability makes it an even more compelling film, as it hooks the viewer right from the very first scene.

If there is criticism to be had of Elsinore, it’s related to the film’s final act. More specifically, the concluding fifteen minutes or so become a tad repetitive. At this point, Charleson’s fate is sealed, and the viewer has already seen the actor play Hamlet in some incredibly moving scenes. Yet, the film lingers in these moments, and on Hamlet in particular, which not only feels derivative of what came before, but also takes away from the true inspiration of the story: Charleson’s personal life.

Elsinore screened at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival. The film will release in limited US theaters on November 20 before expanding in the weeks to follow.