Caffeinated Clint
By Ashley Hillard
In 1900s England, two British ladies, Lottie Wilkins (Josie Lawrence) and Rose Arbuthnot (Miranda Richardson) decide to rent a mini-castle in the Italian countryside. Lottie’s husband, Mellersh (Alfred Molina), protests but she is able to go anyway with money from her nest egg. Rose’s husband, Frederick (Jim Broadbent) could care less as he is pursuing an affair with Caroline Dester (Polly Walker) a beautiful and wealthy socialite.
Rose and Lottie rent the castle with two other women, one happens to be Caroline Dester, who is looking to get away from her friends and family and the other is a bitter widow, Mrs. Fisher, played by Joan Plowright, who received an Academy Award nomination for her performance. The four can’t seem to get along initially, but as they relax and settle into life at the castle tranquility overcomes the household.
Mellersh and Frederick come to visit, and the time away from home seems to do some good for everyone and their marriages. Caroline, saddened at first by Frederick’s betrayal, is happy to see him reconnecting with his wife. Mrs. Fisher finds friends in Lottie and Mellersh, making her less irritable and bitter.
Shot by Rex Maidment (”A Little Bit of Lippy”) the cinematography is beautiful in this quiet and simple film about people from the city escaping to the country to discover themselves. Joan Plowright and Caroline Dester in particular are mesmerizing in their performances. Few period films give an authentic feel to what that time and place would have actually been like (Barry Lyndon is one example) and this film possesses that quality. Slow moving but beautiful, this is a nice film to sit down and enjoy to escape from things.
Extras
DVD features include audio commentary by director Mike Newell and producer Ann Scott. There is a scene selection option and English for the hearing impaired is the only language option. There are also Blu-ray sneak peaks for other Miramax titles.
