Hayley Atwell as Julia Flyte and Matthew Goode as Charles Ryder with Ben Whishaw as Sebastian Flyte in the new Brideshead Revisited. Watch the trailer: http://www.moviefone.com/movie-trailer-hub?movieId=29872&movieTitle=brideshead-revisited The official site: http://www.bridesheadrevisited-themovie.com/
It's been many years since I read Waugh's novel or seen the acclaimed miniseries that came out in 1981 so my memory is fuzzy about details. This new version is being trashed for not be faithful to the novel (changes & elimination of characters) but it has its admirers for its acting and scenery. There's always dangers in adapting a novel or play and it's unfair to compare a two hour + movie to a twelve hour minseries that can include every detail. Eliminating characters and subplots can be forgiven but when the theme or message is changed, that comes close to heresy.
What has angered readers and reviewers is that of the protagonist, Charles Ryder, as one reviewer states: "The screenwriters, Andrew Davies and Jeremy Brock, took many liberties with the book, altering not only plot points but also the main thrust of Charles’s spiritual journey: instead of turning from an agnostic into a Catholic, he starts out an atheist and, seemingly, remains one. This change lends nothing to the film, a torpid version of a classic that is ultimately and unjustly devoid of passion."
OK it's safe to say if you haven't read the book or seen the minseries, you might enjoy this movie as an ornate episode of PBS's Masterpiece Theater or a darker version of Atonement. Performances are very good and the music and photography cast a mesmerizing languid spell. Emma Thompson and Michael Gambon are superb as the estranged parents of Sebastian and Julia Flyte (Ben Wishaw and Hayley Atwell also very good). As for our hero played by Matthew Goode, another critic lamented: "The role calls for a mix of diffidence and magnetism — Charles is a shy, stoical seducer — but Mr. Goode shows all the charisma of a stalk of boiled asparagus molded into the likeness of Jeremy Irons (TV's Ryder). The film can’t explain why Julia or Sebastian would conceive a risky, tempestuous passion for Charles other than that Waugh seemed to think they might." I wouldn't go that far but I see the reviewer's point...
For those who are fond of the miniseries, here's an article about it: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/arts/television/24brid.html?_r=1&ref=movies&oref=slogin
Emma Thompson as Lady Marchmain
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