‘Tolkien’ Is A Laughable Biopic Riddled With Great-Artist Clichés

Dome Karukoski‘s “Tolkien,” a new biopic about the celebrated author of “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings,” throws into sharp relief the hitherto unexplored tragedy of the artist’s life. Imagine it: you’re one of the great artists of the 20th century, and yet your own story is embarrassingly contrived. At least, that’s what we can glean from “Tolkien,” a biopic that hits so many familiar notes that it’s practically a cover song.