'Albert Nobbs' Trailer: Glenn Close Cross-Dresses To Equal Opportunity

What a strange thing this is. Albert Nobbs is a passion project for Glenn Close, who plays the title character, a woman who poses as a man so she can take a job in a hotel in 19th century Ireland. You'll probably hear a lot of award-season talk about Close's performance here, and watching this trailer that just released, it's easy to see why. But I can't make out what sort of film this is meant to be — a serious drama, a slightly mannered comedy, or a blend of several styles. Check it out for yourself, after the break.

Not that the trailer is bad, but the lighthearted tone at the outset doesn't seem to go with the story. And since reviews at TIFF pegged the film as being a pretty straight drama, this smells like a bit of misdirection. Maybe someone will see this and file a lawsuit because the film isn't enough like Tootsie? No, probably not. Follow the Yahoo link below for a couple clips that will probably give you a much better idea of the tone of the film, and of the occasional comedic touches, which are a lot more dry than this trailer sells.

Rodrigo García (Nine Lives) directed Albert Nobbs, and as you've seen in the trailer, the rest of the cast is solid: Mia Wasikowska, Aaron Johnson, Brendan Gleeson, Janet McTeer, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Pauline Collins, and Brenda Fricker.Yahoo will show you the HD trailer. Albert Nobbs opens on January 27, 2012.

A woman passes as a man in order to work and survive in 19th century Ireland. Some thirty years after donning men's clothing, she finds herself trapped in a prison of her own making.