It's quirky and interesting, but 'Electrical Life of Louis Wain' has only so much juice | Movie review

Oct. 19—Benedict Cumberbatch is no stranger to portraying real-life figures — and to doing so rather compellingly. For evidence, look no further than his Academy Award-nominated turn as famous code breaker Alan Turing in the 2014 drama "The Imitation Game."

And although the Brit's portrayal of another extraordinary Englishman in "The Electrical Life of Louis Wain" likely won't prove to be as memorable, the actor is a big reason why the biographical comedy-drama is as engaging as it is.

Wain's name may not ring too many bells these days in this land between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, but the late artist was known for his drawings of anthropomorphized cats with prominent eyes that lifted spirits around the turn of the 20th century in England.

The film opens with an older Louis listening to writer H.G. Wells (musician Nick Cave) commend his work in a radio broadcast, the nature of which you will understand in the film's closing minutes.

"The artist Louie Wain made the cat his own. He invented a cat style, a cat society, a whole cat world," Wells says. "Louie Wain devoted his life to making all our lives happier — and cat-ier. In doing so, he undoubtedly raised up the cat in society, and he changed our world for the better."

Indeed, the movie — opening this week in limited release before streaming on Amazon's Prime Video platform on Nov. 5 — wants to give Wain significant credit for the cat becoming a popular pet in those parts, but we'll leave the accuracy of that to experts on all things feline.

Boasting narration by Acadamy Award winner Olivia Colman ("The Favourite"), "The Electrical Life of Louis Wain" takes us from his days as a young man through his time in later life in an institution, when some believed he suffered from schizophrenia.

The film is at its most enjoyable early on, as Louis — the head of a crowded household after the death of his father — takes an interest in a young woman, Emily Marie Richardson (Claire Foy, "The Crowns"). She is brought into the home to be a governess to Louis' younger sisters, and the strangely charming romance that develops is objectionable to folks including the oldest of his sisters, Caroline (Andrea Riseborough, "Battle of the Sexes"), mainly for status-related reasons.

Soon, the pair are wed, the Wains choosing their happiness over the desires of others, and they take a stray cat into their home and name him Peter. They also take him for walks on a leash.

After Emily is diagnosed with breast cancer, Peter becomes an invaluable companion to her and, understandably, later to him.

Fortunately for Louie — who can quickly sketch a person's portrait but prefers animal subjects — he does reach a certain level of fame after a magazine editor (Toby Jones, "Captain America: The First Avenger") gives him a two-page spread in a holiday issue to go, well, cat-crazy. Unfortunately for Louie, he is not good with finances, and thus his newfound success is of little help to him and his family.

Directed by Will Sharpe and co-written by Sharpe and Simon Stephenson, "Louis Wain" has a bit of a momentum problem — in that it loses quite a bit of it after Foy's Emily makes her exit from Louie's story. And the writers never quite make enough out of Louis' fascination with electricity, which gives the film its unusual title.

Nonetheless, it is an enjoyable watch, thanks largely to Cumberbatch, whose credits also include "Sherlock" and "Doctor Strange." He does awkward well, and Louis is awkward with Emily — at least early on, when his concerns include the hair-lip he hides beneath a mustache — as well as with plenty of other folks. Yet it's that generally pleasant type of awkwardness with which you don't mind spending a couple of hours.

Behind the camera, Sharpe ("The Darkest Universe") infuses the film with a quirky vibe that pairs nicely with its namesake character.

It won't be every cat's meow, but "The Electrical Life of Louis Wain" is an interesting look at the life of an at times fascinatingly feline-forward artist.

'The Electrical Life of Louis Wain'

Where: Cedar Lee Theatre in Cleveland Heights and later Prime Video.

When. Oct. 22 (theatrical) and Nov. 5 (streaming).

Rated: PG-13 for some thematic material and strong language.

Runtime: 1 hour, 51 minutes.

Stars (of four): 2.5.