On Chesil Beach | Film Review

Hey Guys x

I remember wanting to see this when it first came out, but for whatever reason I never got around to it. So I was really glad when I saw that it had been added to Netflix, as I don't know if I would have watched it otherwise.

Edward (Billy Howle) and Florence (Saoirse Ronan) are newlyweds who are trying to consummate their marriage. However, many things in the past and present get in their way. But can their relationship survive the things that are holding them back?

I really really liked this movie.

From the first scene, it is easy to tell who these people are. You can feel the awkwardness between them radiating off the screen. This gives a great initial impression of who they are as a couple.

I really enjoyed the way the story was told. Some of the most important parts of the story are told in flashbacks that slowly lead up to the way that the movie begins, and it's done really intelligently.

The conversation that the couple have near the end of the movie is shot really well. The script, the direction, and the acting are all great.
Speaking of which, Billy Howle and Saoirse Ronan do an amazing job with these characters. There isn't a second that isn't believable, and you really root for them and support them (whoever's side you're on) due to the nature of the way that they are played.

You can almost immediately tell that this film is based on a book (of the same name) by Ian McEwan (who also write 'Atonement', among other masterpieces). It has a classic, literature feel about it all the way through.

Having said this, the only major problems that I had with the film were that, personally, these two weren't the most interesting people to watch a nearly two hour movie about. I watched it in two parts and that really helped because I don't know if my concentration, and therefore enjoyment of the film, would have lasted for the full 1 hr 50 minutes - which isn't a particularly long time but felt long in the middle of the film.
It also gets a bit slow in the middle, and because of that, it feels a bit boring. However, it completely picks up towards the end, and then you can't tear your eyes away from the screen, because the ending is very powerful.

Overall, this is a great movie that perfectly shows the possible deterioration of a relationship, and has a completely powerful, heartbreaking ending. Watch this!

7/10

Lou