That was an excellent one.

Excellent, a Must See

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Review: I must admit, if I knew that this movie was full of subtitles, I wouldn't have bothered with it but once it gets going, I really didn't know what direction the storyline was going to take. At first, it's a simple concept, about a loving couple, Gemma Bovery (Gemma Arterton) and Charlie Bovery (Jason Flemyng), who move to France and become friends with the local bread maker and his wife, Martin Joubert (Fabrice Luchini) and Valerie (Isabelle Candelier), who live in the same community as the loving couple. Martin takes a bit of a shine to the flirtatious Gemma, which he keeps to himself but when she starts an affair a young boy who is studying for his exams, Herve De Bressigny (Niels Schneider), her relationship with Charlie takes a turn for the worse. Martin is a lover of the writer Gustave Flaubert, and he can see Gemma's life is taking the same direction as Gustave's book, "Gemma Bovery", which just happens to be the same name as there new neighbours, so he tries to divert her from her downfall. After planning to leave her husband with her new boyfriend, Gemma's life takes a turn for the worse when Herve is false to leave the village, by his mother. The strain also becomes to much for Charlie, who decides to leave his wife for a while, and when an old flame turns up at Gemma's doorstep, Patrick (Mel Raido), a dramatic chain of events lead to a dramatic ending, which is worth watching. I really wasn't expecting the storyline to turn out the way it did but the rest of the movie was a bit slow. I liked the fact that the quiet Martin, who was completely in the background throughout the movie, knew exactly what was going to happen but apart from that, it really didn't pick up until the end. Gemma Arterton seems to act the same in all of her movies, but she was suited for this role. It did surprise me how easily she started an affair with the local boy, without feeling guilty towards her husband but that was the mysterious thing about there life's taking the same direction as the books. Anyway, it's not the type of movie that I would usually watch, so I didn't have high expectations but I did enjoy the ending after reading subtitles for an hour and a half. Average!Round-Up: For a girl who came into the movie world in 2007 in St. Trinians, Gemma Arterton, 30, has starred in some big movies, like RocknRolla, Quantum of Solace, Prince of Persia, Clash of the Titans, Runner Runner and Hansel & Gretel, so her 8 year career has been pretty impressive to date. Her French accent in this movie was believable along with her flirtatious ways, which ended up getting her in trouble but she has to be careful that she doesn't become a victim of typecasting. Anyway, this movie was written and directed by Anne Fontaine, 56, who has primarily directed movies for a French market, so I haven't really heard of them. I liked the twist in this movie but it came a bit too late for my liking. Budget: €9.7million Worldwide Gross: £4.7millionI recommend this movie to people who are into their drama/romance/comedies starring Gemma Arterton, Jason Flemyng, Fabrice Luchini, Isabelle Candelier and Mel Raido. 4/10

Gemma Bovery (2014): Dir: Anne Fontaine / Cast: Gemma Arterton, Fabrice Luchini, Jason Flemyng, Niels Schneider, Mel Raido: Amusing French comedy that takes the classic Gustave Flaubert novel to new heights as observed by the central character, a baker in a small village, played with bewilderment by Fabrice Luchini. His wife is a nag and his son proves to be less than perfect, his attentions spans the farm across the street where a British couple move in. His sights are on the beautiful Gemma Arterton who nearly embodies the creation in the novel. Her husband is much older and frustrated with their lack of communication. Luchini is smitten and nears his infatuation until other suitors appear. Flawed by humour that doesn't always work, and a death scene in the third act that lacks the emotional payoff it needed. Otherwise director Anne Fontaine details a screenplay that balances reality and fantasy effectively. Luchini centres the plot focused on this new neighbour while narrowly working in baking bread and family. Arterton is stunning as Gemma and the camera fixates on her placing viewers in the lustful position of Luchini. Jason Flemyng plays the frustrated husband who doesn't take the news well when she has an affair. Niels Schneider plays a young suitor who steals Luchini's moment when he aids her when she is stung by a bee. They have a passionate affair where Luchini observes from afar in awe. Mel Raido plays an ex-boyfriend arriving back in town in hopes to rekindle their past relationship. Theme mixes literature with reality with a touch of the absurd for good measure. Score: 8 / 10

One of the joys of my cinema-going life is the growing number of female directors (many of them actors, almost all writers) in French cinema. Whilst some - Marian Vernoux, Agnes Jaoui, Nicole Garcia, Danielle Thompson, Valerie Lemercier, etc, have yet to notch up a dozen titles, others such as Tonie Marshall and Anne Fontaine have long surpassed this and there is a temptation to say that Fontaine especially is perhaps a tad too prolific. This take on Flaubert is her fifteenth At Bat (a sixteenth is in Post Production even as we speak) and there are those who claim to detect signs of fatigue. With actors of the calibre of Isabelle Calendier on display merely in support I'm not prepared to write this one off. Like Louis Jouvet Fabrice Luchini is primarily a man of the theatre but like Jouvet he is such a consummate actor that he enhances any film he agrees to appear in merely by signing the contract and so it is here. More than worth a look.

No idea how close this sticks to the novel, but it's clever and charming.Takes a while to settle down - yes, Thatcherism is a crude divider - but once the narrator assumes the director's role it gets interesting. He's played well, and the lead actress is jolie.The other characters aren't really bedded down, especially the husband and the former husband, so that seems superficial. But the plot winds along merrily and overall it's amusing. Music and sound are very good too.Problem for me is the climax, which is just daft. But it's followed by a funny epilogue.ps. An example of bi-lingual production. I saw a Taiwan film recently that does it better - draws you in so you don't notice you're reading subtitles. But that was an action film with minimal dialogue.