Tolkien - 'a thought provoking and engaging film' 

Starring Nicholas Hoult as the young John Tolkien, the film is a powerful story of friendship, love and loss, uncovering how a lonely orphan grew up to capture the world’s imagination with The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings

Raised by a devoted and imaginative mother who died tragically when he was only 12, Tolkien was left to carve his own precarious path. But his luck changes when he meets a group of fellow misfits at school who turn out to be kindred spirits. Sharing a love of art and a passion for seizing the moment, Tolkien and his three best friends form a secret fellowship which will help him find his true self, and shape the man that he becomes.

During this time he also meets a talented young pianist called Edith, and begins to fall in love. But their story will be far from straightforward. Banned from seeing each other by Tolkien’s guardian, the two are forced apart, and Edith becomes engaged to somebody else. Will they find their way back to each other in spite of everything?

When the First World War breaks out, it threatens to tear Tolkien apart from everything he loves. His experiences at the Battle of the Somme, where he fights alongside his school-friends, will bring heartbreaking loss – but also the inspiration for some of the best-loved stories ever written.

Directed by Dome Karukoski, Tolkien is written by David Gleeson and Stephen Beresford. The film also stars Colm Meaney and Derek Jacobi.

Tolkien is a journey through the dramas of his life, taking us into the mind of the master storyteller. We see him experiencing bereavement and the traumas of war, the significance of fellowship and the perseverance to pursue his calling to write; the life that would be the backdrop to the characters and dramas that he would go on to create in imagined world of Middle Earth. 

‘A thought provoking and engaging film on the power of true friendship, love and loyalty. The scenes from Tolkien’s time at Oxford, as well as his time as a lieutenant in World War One, provide us with the historical background to his great literary and artistic skills, that lie behind his books, the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings.’ Winston Bygrave, Minister of West Hendon Baptist Church

Why not see TOLKIEN with friends and then chat about it afterwards? This free resource is perfect for groups who want to get more from their cinema experience.