From the Thomas Hardy novel, Far From the Madding Crowd, to a graphic novel by Posy Simmonds, to the screen, 'Tamara Drewe' is a retelling of many classic English pastorals with a modern twist. It's fast paced, funny, witty and charming. The more you're familiar with these kinds of stories and characters, the funnier it is. In this case, a young woman, Tamara Drewe (Gemma Arterton), returns to her childhood country home, a beautiful, successful journalist. The new twist is she's not the typical ugly duckling who naturally matures into a raven beauty. She had surgical help in the form of a rhinoplasty or nose job. We even get to see Tamara with her original noise in a flashback, and the difference in overall appearance due to those additional few ounces is stunning.
The country home in question, Winnards, was bought by her parents from a family that had owned it for many generations. Now, Any Cobb (Luke Evans),no longer owner of Winnards, works across the dale as a handyman at Stonefield, home of Nicholas Hardiment (Roger Allam) and his wife, Beth (Tamsin Greig), who run a retreat for authors and would-be authors who find inspiration in this bucolic setting. What happens between these two households, and a shack at a bus stop where two very bored teens hang out and dream of rock stars and romance, is convoluted by betrayal, budding love, rekindled love and writer's block. There's even a cattle stampede and a bit of controlled British mayhem.
One thing I still don't understand no matter how many times I see it happen -- women have, even crave sex, from very unattractive men, and not even for money or security. I can't fathom why Beth Hardiment would want to have sex with her husband, Nicholas. He's old, he's wrinkly, he's built like a pear, and obnoxious to boot. Yet, not only does she love him and want to continue their relationship, but seems countless women not only have sex with him, they want him to leave his wife for them. Sure, he is a well known mystery writer, but knowing someone famous and maybe using his contacts to get a book of your own read by a publisher is one thing, rubbing up against him is quite another. There is far too much of this going on in 'Tamara Drewe,' and it just dumbfounds me.
And if you enjoyed this one, rent 'Cold Comfort Farm' (1995). It refers back to even more classic English tales from mysterious goings-on in the shed, to who gets to inherit the estate, to an orphaned flapper in London having to live with the country relatives. And it stars the pre-'Underworld,' pre-sexy Kate Beckinsale.
Tamara Drewe
Director: Stephen Frears
Writer: Moira Buffini from the graphic novel by Posy Simmonds
Cast: Gemma Arterton, Roger Allam, Luke Evans, Bill Camp, Dominic Cooper, Tamsin Greig, Jessica Barden, Charlotte Christie
Time: 107 min.
Opening October 15 Century 9 and Sundance Kabuki
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