The Electrical Life of Louis Wain

Parents need to know that The Electrical Life of Louis Wain is a superb historical drama based on the real life of English artist Louis Wain and provides a unique exploration of grief. Wain -- played by Benedict Cumberbatch -- is shown to be living with a mental illness. He does find solace in creativity with his paintings bringing joy to others, even if not himself. Much of Wain's struggles come as a result of the death of his wife, Emily (Claire Foy). She is diagnosed with terminal breast cancer and she is shown deteriorating before eventually dying. There's little in terms of violence, although scenes involving boxing show punches landing. The language is strong, but infrequent, with use of "f--k" and "s--t" on occasion. Set in 19th-century England, the film does have what would now be considered regressive gender roles; men are expected to suppress their feelings and be the sole family earner, while women are considered by many as second-class citizens. However, Wain's five sisters are depicted as confident and strong women. While the cast is predominantly White there are a handful of significant supporting roles played by people of color. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.