“Everyone has their secret, and this is ours.” In 1857 Charles Dickens (Ralph Fiennes - The Grand Budapest Hotel) fell in love with actress Ellen Ternan (Felicity Jones - Like Crazy). She was 18 while he, 45, was also the married father of ten children. Their affair failed to alarm the chattering classes in part because of their discretion, but mostly because of his wife's resignation and the public's adoration. Since such entanglements harmed women more than men, Dickens continued to bath in limelight while Ternan became the invisible woman.

A captivating screenplay by Abi Morgan (Shame and The Iron Lady) succeeds because of the stark simplicity with which she tackles an emotional crime perpetrated by unexpected love. Confidently straddling two distinct timelines, Morgan frames Ternan in her present where she, defiant, is trying to reconstruct a damaged life, and in the past where meeting Dickens blew an assured future off course. The cascading effect of small choices fuse the couple together and no one escapes the consequences; not Ternan, her mother (Kirsten Scott Thomas - In The House) nor Dickens. It is distressing to watch honour so readily kicked to the kerb.

The Invisible Woman is a significant achievement for Fiennes. An elegant, prudent film (his first feature as director), it brings an emotional resonance to Ternan's plight without giving in to easy hysteria. Similarly, his turn as Dickens is finely nuanced as he resists temptation to demonise the writer's cruel behaviour. He also, wisely, gives the film to Jones who more than fulfils the promise shown in earlier roles. As Ternan comes to realise the impossible position she's in, Jones imbues her with a palpable, wrenching heartache tempered by a formidable confidence. It's a career-making performance.

Despite some lapses in narrative drive, Fiennes brings it to an agonising head when Ternan realises she's become the kind of person she despises (underscored in a telling scene with Dickens' protégée who 'doesn't need to marry'). Years later, having lived a life in his shadow, in his writing, Ternan overcomes resentment to emerge a grown woman. It's a remarkable tale worthy of Dickens himself.

// COLIN FRASER

Previewed at Roadshow Theatrette, Sydney, on 11 February 2014