GEMMA BOVERY

Posy Simmonds is well known British cartoonist known for re-intrepreting classic literature in a modern setting in serial comic strips.  Her TAMARA DREWE, a version of Thomas Hardy's Far From The Madding Crowd,  was adapted as a film in 2010 by Stephen Frears with mixed results. On the whole, I much preferred this Franco-English adaptation of Simmonds GEMMA BOVERY.  In this version of Flaubert's iconic tale of middle class married boredom, tragic love and debt, the heroine is played by Gemma Arterton (who also played Tamara Drewe).  Mrs Bovery has moved to a small town in northern France to live with her husband (Jason Flemyng), a humble decorator.  However, it soon becomes apparent that she has tastes of something grander and more sensuous.  She buys things that she can't afford on a whim, and there are hints of previous, richer lovers.  For no other reason than just to see what it's like, she cheats on her husband with the local nobleman, a rather pale imitation of the novel's Rodolphe.  

All this is observed by the town's baker, Martin Joubert (Fabrice Lucine - POTICHE).  He's a man obsessed with Flaubert's novel, attracted to Gemma, and almost willing her to re-enact the story, although not of course its ending.  The result is a wonderful performance of wry tragicomedy that sets the tone for this charming and sometimes deeply moving film.  I also love the wry social commentary that Simmonds is famous for. In this case, it's embodied in the Franco-English couple Rankin (Pip Torrens) and Wizzy (Elsa Zylberstein) - Notting Hill yuppies with a lavish second home in France. The movie perfectly satirises their social climbing and insecurity. The problem is the inevitable clash of tone, which director Anne Fontaine doesn't handle well, especially in the final act of the film. Maybe no-one could and the ultimate fault lies with Simmonds for shoe-horning in that ending....Either way this remains a charming and occasionally very clever movie, if flawed.

GEMMA BOVERY has a running time of 99 minutes and is rated R.  The movie played Toronto 2014 and was released last year in Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Greece and Portugal. It was released earlier this year in Italy, Estonia, Hungary, Norway, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Turkey and Brazil. It is currently on release in the UK and Ireland.

London Film Fest 2010 Day 3 - IN OUR NAME

IN OUR NAME is the incredibly impressive debut feature from young British writer-director Brian Welsh. Shot largely by a group of ex-NFTS students typically on their first feature, and starring relatively unknown British character actors, the resulting movies stands simply on its merits - it's powerful, provocative, well-acted, and dripping with integrity. It's one of the most powerful films I've seen in the Festival to date, and easily one of the best films of the year. Apparently, it's getting a limited release in Curzon cinemas, and I would strongly encourage you to seek it out.

The story is set in contemporary Newcastle. A young mother, Suzy, comes back from Iraq, traumatised by what she has seen there. She comes from a family that has seen considerable military service, but she gets little sympathy. Her husband, also a soldier, is frustrated at her distance from him, and while the army could potentially offer therapy, Suzy is reluctant to ask for help when that could affect her chances of promotion. And so, Suzy is stuck in a nightmare - no help from family or the army - and increasingly paranoid that her little girl is in danger, and convinced that in saving her daughter, she will find her redemption.

Joanne Froggatt (DOWNTON ABBEY) is absolutely amazing in the lead role - utterly convincing, tremendously sympathetic - her performance is genuinely haunting - a word that is usually used lazily and as a cliche but really does apply here. But you also have to admire Brian Welsh's script and direction. In particular, I love the fact that he shows, rather than tells, and that he manages to portray complex situations with a very austere script. For instance, look at the way he handles inter-racial tensions in northern towns with large muslim communities. In just one conversation in the back of a cab, you get different viewpoints, and a sense of the extreme tension.

So, I don't do this often, but I repeat, IN OUR NAME is an important and deeply affecting film and you should go see it.

IN OUR NAME will be released by Curzon cinemas later this year.