Mr Burton

The incredible story of how Rich Jenkins, a young man from a poor family in Port Talbot, rose to become a multi-award-winning Hollywood star.

It's very much my sort of film, and knowing Burton's story reasonably well, it was fascinating to see how they chose to bring it to the big screen. Without drifting into sentimentality, it's genuinely heartwarming - uplifting and quietly emotional. A young Burton had everything stacked against him: a troubled father, poverty, and at times even the country itself, yet somehow he pushed through it all.

It's a beautifully crafted film. It looks terrific, from the sets to the period details, and the CGI version of Port Talbot is impressively polished - though there were moments where I half-expected a bread-wielding cyclist to wobble through the scene, as if we'd slipped into an advert about wholesome Welsh mornings.

The score is soothing, almost deceptively so. You could easily imagine it accompanying a Hovis-style montage, but it fits the story well, softening the harsher edges without ever drowning them out.

Toby Jones and Lesley Manville do exactly what you'd hope - dependable, grounded, and quietly commanding. Harry Lawtey, who I know well from the excellent BBC series Industry, turns in a very fine performance, carrying the weight of the role without overplaying it.

It's the first cinema trip in a long while that's actually made me want to order the Blu-ray afterwards.

8/10.

Mr. Burton is a beautifully crafted film that lingers long after the credits roll. Anchored by a standout performance from its lead, the story weaves heart, humor, and a quiet intensity into a truly unforgettable experience. The direction is assured, allowing small moments to breathe while never losing narrative momentum. Every frame feels intentional, with gorgeous cinematography and a haunting score that elevates the emotional depth. Mr. Burton is that rare kind of film-intimate yet expansive, personal yet universally resonant. It's a moving, masterfully told story that deserves to be seen, felt, and celebrated.

Mr. Burton quite simply is a biopic of the early life of Richard Jenkins, later to become Richard Burton as the film goes at great lengths to explain.

The cast are excellent be it Toby Jones as English teacher/thespian Philip Burton who becomes a guiding light to son of a (drunk) Welsh miner Dic Jenkins.

However the best performance is from young actor Harry Lawtey who plays the Richard Jenkins cum Burton role. From a raw poor Welsh schoolboy he becomes one of the biggest actors in the world and this film shows how Mr. Philip Burton moulded him to do so. Not just in name but Anglicizing his diction to become the great orator he is remembered for being.

Toby Jones is a mainstay of British cinema and television and his portrayal is non-scandalous when surely some tongues wagged at his close relationship with Richard Jenkins.

British, low budget but intriguing indeed. I have watched Burton's filmography vehemently over several months and now after watching this film I may explore some Burton biographies in book form. This film is definitely better than even I expected.

Despite being a bit lop-sided, this is still quite a poignant story of the young Richard Jenkins (Harry Lawtey) who has been living with his elder sister and her husband since his mother died whilst he was an infant. His dad (Steffan Rhodri) worked hard down the mines then boozed hard afterwards, and so the young lad was largely neglected by him as he grew to curious manhood. He was interested at school, liked to read and sing and play rugby - and that attracted the attention of his teacher Burton (Toby Jones). He was a scholarly man, but a frustrated Thesp, who had lodged for many a year with the widowed "Ma" (Lesley Manville) and wrote scripts for BBC Radio. It was this latter man's determination to get his young protégé to focus, knuckle down and learn how to say "here" properly that serves as the thrust of the plot here and allows both Jones and the impressive Lawtey to give us not just an illustration of Burton's conflict and potential, but also a glimpse into just how valued education was at a time when families lived on the poverty line and working at the pit from an early age was a necessity that made schooling a luxury. It takes a few liberties with the facts of their relationship and sows some suggestive seeds about what might have driven both men, but for the most part it's an interesting character study of a troubled man who quite possibly didn't know how to be loved. The conclusion is all a bit rushed, we do jump ahead quite substantially in the last ten minutes and those missing years do rather leave a gap in his transition from geeky student to Stratford celebrity, but with a generous contribution from Manville to help guide us through this turbulent period for him, his teacher and his country this is at the better end of television biopics, and with Lawtey acting rather than trying to mimic the original, is worth a watch.

A proper movie at last! No car chases, no endless fight scenes, no superheroes, just a great cast, great performances, and a great story - one that just happens to be true. Not just true, but inspirational - the story of young Richard Burton and especially the teacher, mentor and guide who helped turn him from a bright Welsh schoolboy into one of the world's great actors. Every character is well rounded, every performance excellent, every scene beautifully directed. The movie deserves the Academy Award, as does Toby Jones, who is always brilliant but in Mr Burton is exceptional.