While the tear-jerking hook for many Interstellar fans is Cooper missing 23 years of his childrens' lives while trapped on Miller's planet then playing back decades of family messages, less notice has been given to the character of Romilly (David Gyasi), whose arc is the film's secret emotional weapon. Left on the Endurance while Cooper and Amelia carry out their ill-fated scout of Miller's planet, Romilly is forced to live in isolation for almost a quarter of a century until he sees his crewmates again. When they return, young as when they left, Romilly's grown into middle-age. It's a shocking, bizarrely emotional scene played out with commendable understatement. David Gyasi is excellent in a part that never really asks much of him. He gives life to Romilly in minor ways: nervously cracking wise about travel sickness with Amelia; showing tangible excitement when asked by Cooper to explain wormholes in layman's terms; the way he is, 23 years older, slouched and marred by unspoken loneliness. A constant, though, is that Gyasi keeps Romilly as a consummate, dignified professional throughout, never one to give in to emotion even when the most trying circumstances have clearly worn him out. If there's any justice, there'll be much bigger things for the actor to come.
Lover of film, writer of words, pretentious beyond belief. Thinks Scorsese and Kubrick are the kings of cinema, but PT Anderson and David Fincher are the dashing young princes. Follow Brogan on twitter if you can take shameless self-promotion: @BroganMorris1
