By Guy Davis
Another version of ”Brideshead Revisited”? Really? The epic 11-part miniseries adaptation from the early ‘80s pretty much covered everything in Evelyn Waugh’s novel, didn’t it?
That said, I recall having similar misgivings about the recent big-screen adaptation of ”Pride & Prejudice”, only to find that the Keira Knightley film nicely complemented previous screen versions of Jane Austen’s book.
And the presence of screenwriter Andrew Davies, who’s made a good fist of adapting classic English novels for film and television, and a cast of accomplished British actors seemed to indicate that this new take on ”Brideshead” may well be worthwhile.
That’s not quite the case, although Julian Jarrold’s film is a handsome, tasteful and occasionally thoughtful achievement.
It attempts to delve beneath the surface are intermittently successful, but the surface is so lushly presented that one rarely minds.
Beginning in the 1920s, the story follows Charles Ryder (Matthew Goode), an aspiring young artist of modest means, as he begins his undergraduate studies at Oxford, where he falls under the sway of fragile, drunken aristocrat Sebastian Flyte (Ben Whishaw).
Their friendship is complicated when Charles accompanies Sebastian to his family’s magnificent estate, Brideshead. He falls not only for the beauty of Brideshead but also that of Sebastian’s sister Julia (Hayley Atwell).
As the years progress, Charles become more and more entwined with the lives of Sebastian and Julia, with their own wants and needs clashing with the strict social, political and religious doctrines of the time.
Much of the story’s dramatic momentum supposedly stems from the Flyte family’s Catholic faith and the detrimental effect it has on their lives and relationships, but it’s not developed all that well by the filmmakers – having their devotion be their downfall seems like an after-thought on their part.
This version of ”Brideshead” is much more effective in its smaller, subtler moments of character interaction, especially those between its three leads.
The unhappiness that Sebastian is never able to shake, the unease that plagues the torn Charles, the uncertainty that Julia carries – all of these are insightfully depicted and portrayed, and the film makes a genuine connection when these are the focus.
The guarded quality that Goode brings to Charles is an ideal contrast to the openness the gifted Whishaw brings to Sebastian, and while Atwell’s Julia has less to do she delivers a fine performance.
And Emma Thompson is, as always, superb as Lady Marchmain, imperious mother of Sebastian and Julia.
