In Tenet, Robert Pattinson plays the part of an international playboy who has managed to avoid the social and professional consequences of his notorious lifestyle – until now. His playboy days are behind him, and he’s settled down to a family life with his partner, Emily (played by Kristen Scott Thomas). But his carefree nature soon finds him slipping back into old habits, and he embarks on a series of escapades that will test the limits of his self-control.
An International Playboy
Even before he stepped into the limelight with his ravishing good looks and Hollywood status, Robert Pattinson had established himself as one of cinema’s most eligible bachelors. After graduating from a leading British university with a degree in English literature, he headed to New York City to chase his fortune. He supported himself as a bartender and bouncer before landing the role of Cedric Diggory in the musical adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. After completing the shoot, he returned to Britain and immersed himself in his studies, leaving New York behind him.
Pattinson’s career ascended more rapidly from there, culminating in leading man status in Belle. The handsome Englishman proved as popular with audiences as he was with the media, making a name for himself as a bon vivant and socialite. His magnetic good looks and urbane charm placed him atop countless ‘top-ten’ lists, and his extravagant lifestyle was chronicled by a fascinated media. In 2012, he was named Sexiest Man Alive by Vogue magazine.
Embarking on A Wild Ride
Upon leaving New York City for a walking holiday in the Scottish Highlands, one of Pattinson’s friends discovers his retreat in the Hebrides and persuades him to join them on the expedition. The trio set off on a series of misadventures that will see them climbing Glorious Mountain, exploring Glengarry Museum and enjoying a bottle of whisky at the Gaelic Long House. Pattinson’s adventurous spirit is both the playwright’s and the audience’s delight in Tenet, but his safe return to his beloved family life will prove to be a bittersweet moment.
An early work from first-time feature film director, Rupert Sanders, Tenet is an exhilarating ride that examines the highs and lows of a sophisticated bachelor’s life. The film charts Robert Pattinson’s journey from the high life to domesticated stability, as he embarks on a series of escapades that will see him test the boundaries of his self-control. The movie premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2018 and was released in the UK on May 24th.
What Is The Moral Of The Story?
At face value, Tenet seems to offer an important message about the dangers of overindulging in hedonism and self-destruction. But it is difficult to pigeonhole the movie as definitively as that, since it is both a comic cautionary tale and an ironic celebration of excess. It is fair to say that Robert Pattinson seems to embody Don Juan in pants, and he is rarely far from harm’s way.
Even so, the movie does have some surprisingly moral messages, not least of which pertains to the dangers of materialism. Throughout the film, Pattinson’s character is tormented by his attraction to the opulence and finery that defines his hedonistic social circle. He sees his friends’ wealth as a reflection of his own desirability, and the more he associates with them, the more he covets their status.
To his credit, Pattinson’s Richard III struggles with this aspect of his character and puts the focus firmly back on his social and professional self-destruction. He makes significant and life-changing moral choices that will irrevocably alter the course of his life. In doing so, he also alters the course of the story itself, and so the story is perhaps a little less one-sided than it first appears. It is a cautionary tale, but it is also a triumph of will and a celebration of self-redefinition. As William Shakespeare wrote: ‘What’s honour amongst friends…’