Cannes Movie Review: Tamara Drewe (2010)
A few comical moments, but for the most part this one's pretty bland
Photo: Sony Pictures Classics
Adapted from Posy Simmonds's graphic novel (which itself is an adaptation of Thomas Hardy's "Far From The Madding Crowd"), Stephen Frears's Tamara Drewe offers up a bit of semi-dark comedy with foul-mouthed 15-year-olds, adulteress affairs, stampeding cows and a lovely pair of short shorts all in the midst of a writers' retreat in a small English village referred to as Ewendown. It has its share of laughs, but overall hardly moves the dial.
Starring Gemma Arterton as the title character, Tamara Drewe is an upstart journalist and aspiring novelist returned home to claim her childhood spread following the recent death of her mother. When she last left she was sporting a giant schnoz, but upon her return she's not only displaying her lengthy gams in a pair of short shorts, but a brand new beak. These two factors add up to sending Ewedown into an uproar.
The cast includes Gemma Arterton, Dominic Cooper, Roger Allam, Luke Evans, Bill Camp, Tamsin Greig and Jessica Barden. For more information on this film including pictures, trailers and a detailed synopsis choose from the following menu.
Review
"Tamara Drewe" is a Sony Pictures Classics release, directed by Stephen Frears and is rated R for language and some sexuality. The running time is 1 hour 49 minutes.
Allam stars as Nicholas Hardiment, a best-selling fiction author and the village's resident celebrity. Nicholas and his wife Beth (Tamsin Greig) hold court to a year-round series of writers' retreats, the latest of which includes, among others, Glen McCreavy (Bill Camp), a scholarly American author whose bout with writer's block causes him to further familiarize himself with the Hardiment's as well as Tamara.
While the title of the film is Tamara Drewe, she isn't necessarily the film's primary interest as much as she is the catalyst that drives the stories of those living in Ewedown. Andy Cobb played by Luke Evans is an ex-teenage lover of Tamara's whose eye again has cast its gaze. Next on the list comes courtesy of the rock band known as Swipe, which has come to Ewedown and prior to a scheduled interview with the band's drummer Ben Sergeant (Dominic Cooper), Tamara also captures his attention kick-starting a love affair.
Meanwhile, Casey Shaw and Jody Long (Charlotte Christie and Jessica Barden) are a pair of foul-mouthed 15-year-olds (and perhaps the best part of the film) and they are bored out of their minds. The solution? To know everyone's business and occasionally egg a few cars. Harboring a passionate lust for Ben, Tamara's relationship with him becomes Jody's primary interest and one that takes the story home.
It's a twisted tale literally made up of sex, drugs, rock and roll and a bit with a dog, but that's making it sound funnier than it actually is. In truth, the laughs are relatively limited and neither the story nor the characters as written are weighty enough to carry this film for the duration.
Tamara Drewe is playing Out of Competition at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival.
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Thank God someone else finally agrees Gemma Arterton is nothing special. She is this generations Minnie Driver, Gabrielle Anwar, Keira Knightley and countless other mediocre British actresses who shine for a few months then fade like a motherfucker.
that's rather harsh – perhaps you should try and see her in the disappearance of alice creed but i doubt that will change your mind since you're so hell bent on decrying any talent she may have
Agreed brother!
Gemma Arterton is absolutely gorgeous to look at and has a very fine screen presence but she's quite an inexperienced actress though. Maybe these lead roles have come too soon for her? I think she'll mature and get better. But it's clearly for her looks she's getting such prominent roles.
Having said that – I cannot see who is really going to want to watch this movie? It seems like an idea from another era: a nostalgia movie more suited to the 'Play For Today' slot from 1970s BBC1.