Brideshead Revisited
Director: Julian Jarrold
Cert: 12a
Time: 2 hrs 13 mins
Having neither read Evelyn Waugh’s acclaimed novel nor seen the highly rated 1981 Granada television series I came to this film untainted by either knowledge or expectation. I departed without a desire to read the book and disappointment with a film that lacked pace and real inspiration.
Don’t get me wrong the evocation of the interwar period is superb heritage cinema and the performances by Matthew Goode as Charles Ryder and Emma Thompson as Lady Marchmain are entirely convincing. Furthermore the evocative story dealing with issues of class, religion, duty, ambition and forbidden love is all very intriguing.
It’s just that in this particular evocation there were too many passages which dragged leaving one to conclude that films over two hours long need both disciplined editing and arresting performances to hold the attention.
Worthy rather than great would seem to sum it up.
Rating: 2/5
CA
