Andrew Scott Gives the Performance of a Lifetime in 'Elsinore' | TIFF Review

Published Sep 23, 2026, 1:08 PM EDT

Therese Lacson is a Senior TV Editor who has been with Collider since 2021. She got started in this business over ten years ago working primarily as an interviewer and critic. At Collider, she works closely with the features team to support the writers and also ideates and develops content daily. She has covered major industry events including Cannes Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, SXSW, Toronto International Film Festival, and San Diego Comic-Con. Although she reviews and covers both film and television, her focus is in television and her expertise is in fantasy and sci-fi genre shows. Her favorite shows to cover include House of the Dragon, Bridgerton, Fallout, 9-1-1, and Rivals. 

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I haven't seen many films where I've wished for the end to come faster simply because I wanted to stop crying. But Elsinore is one of those films. Directed by Simon Stone and written by Stephen Beresford, the film stars Andrew Scott as stage and screen actor Ian Charleson; we follow him during the last years of his life as he prepares for his final role as Hamlet, while also struggling with an AIDS diagnosis. The stirring drama gives Scott the perfect stage for one of the best performances of his life, while the emotional and devastating story set during the height of the AIDS crisis makes it almost impossible to watch without reaching for tissues. Elsinore allows Scott to deliver an authentic and gut-wrenching performance that stays with you long after the movie is over.

What Is 'Elsinore' About?

Image via Photagonist

When we first meet Scott's Ian Charleson in 1989, he's in a bit of a slump. After an early career hit with Chariots of Fire, his recent roles have been lackluster, and he longs to return to theater. When a young Daniel Day Lewis drops out of Richard Eyre's (Johnny Flynn) production of Hamlet at the National Theater in London, Charleson's suddenly given the opportunity of a lifetime to replace him, and play one of Shakespeare's most iconic characters. Unfortunately, at the same time, he's been diagnosed with AIDS and, after discovering lesions, is quickly reaching the advanced stage of the disease.

Turning to Dr. Margaret Johnson (Olivia Colman) at the Royal Free Hospital, Charleson begins undergoing treatment. Although Eyre knows about his condition, he still casts Charleson as Lewis' replacement for the production. Concealing his illness from his castmates, Charleson is determined to play Hamlet even when Dr. Johnson strongly cautions against it, given the strenuous demands of the role. In between rehearsals, memorization, and practice, Charleson returns to the Royal Free Hospital regularly for treatment with his friend Patsy Pollock (Billie Piper) at his side. As the time comes for him to take to the stage, friends and family rally to Charleson as he gives an empowered and critically acclaimed final performance, inspiring his peers and audiences in the process.

In 'Elsinore,' Andrew Scott Gives His Greatest Performance To Date as Ian Charleson

Image via Photagonist

While there are certainly moments when Elsinore stumbles as a film, what is flawless and worthy of universal acclaim is Andrew Scott's performance as Ian Charleson. Able to grasp the soft and private moments of Charleson's personal life along with his bombastic on-stage performance, Scott deftly navigates these different aspects of his character, slipping into Charleson's skin so well that you barely notice his piercing blue contact lenses and straw-gold wig that doesn't quite pass muster upon closer inspection. In the more personal moments, whether he's across Piper's Patsy or Flynn's Eyre, Scott is able to capture nuance with the smallest of expressions.

But it's when he's opposite Luke Thompson's Georgie and David Dawson's Derek Jarman that he really pulls at the heartstrings of the viewers. Charleson has a close bond with both characters; Georgie is a former flame who is also dying of AIDS, while Jarman is the openly gay director of Jubilee, Charleson's first film. With Thompson, he is gentle and loving, especially when Georgie is near the end of his life. Initially, when we first see them together in London, there's already a spark of chemistry; when they meet again at the hospital, the mood is decidedly more somber, but the connection between the two actors is palpable. With Dawson, whose character pushes for Charleson to come out of the closet, the relationship is more fraught. But rather than playing it as purely antagonistic, Scott leans into the characters' bond.

Where Scott truly shines his brightest, though, is when Charleson is on stage as Hamlet. It's a veritable Russian nesting doll of a performance: Not only is Scott playing Charleson, but he's playing Charleson while he's at his sickest, while also playing the prince of Denmark. His impassioned monologues, particularly Hamlet's "To be, or not to be" speech, are among the most effective of the entire film. It's impossible not to be moved by Charleson giving his all to a role that he's dreamed of playing, and Scott's portrayal is so seamless that you might even forget that you're not watching the real Charleson himself on the National Theater stage.

'Elsinore' Stumbles Too Far Into Melodrama in the Third Act

Image via Photagonist

Where Elsinore stumbles is in both its tone and its final act. Tonally, the film is dour. Obviously, any movie about AIDS is not necessarily going to be the cheeriest, but Elsinore is so desperately sad at times that it can feel defeating to watch. While the consistency of the tone means that the film hews close to its themes, Stone pushes everything up to 11 by the third act, culminating in a final montage that feels like borderline emotional manipulation.

This is made all the worse by Stefan Gregory's sweeping score, which enhances how heartbreaking these moments are. By no means is Gregory's score bad, but it exaggerates the problem of Stone not necessarily sticking to the same level of nuance that his leading man does. One notable example is the film's inclusion of a young man named Nicholas (Joe Locke), another AIDS patient we meet at the hospital, which feels almost painfully heavy-handed. Charleson inspires Nicholas to pursue theater when he feels his most hopeless, but in a film already jam-packed with remarkable moments that are based in reality, this inclusion feels entirely fabricated to make the audience feel even sadder than they already do.

Ultimately, Elsinore is a strong film, one that is quite literally the definition of a tearjerker. With any other lead actor, the prestige of the film might falter. Performances from Colman, Piper, Flynn, and Thompson are notable, but Scott is what makes the film stand out from the crowd. Highlighting an unforgettable story, Stone's Elsinore is well worth its 111-minute runtime, but for god's sake, bring more than just one pack of tissues to the theater.

Cast

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  Ian Charleson

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  John Hollingworth

  Rosencrantz

Elsinore is a 2026 biographical drama that stars Andrew Scott as acclaimed actor Ian Charleson during the final months of his life. As Charleson prepares for a celebrated performance as Hamlet at London's National Theatre while battling AIDS, he confronts the physical and emotional challenges of delivering the defining role of his career.

Pros & Cons

• Andrew Scott's performance as Ian Charleson is damn near perfection.
• Scott's chemistry specifically with Coleman, Piper, Flynn, Thompson, and Dawson gives the film more buoyancy.

• Stone's third act struggles the most, leaning too far into melodrama and tear-jerker moments to match the subtlty of the first two parts.