On Chesil Beach

I've just read several of the reviews here and am surprised to see that only one has mentioned something major in the film which is that the character played by Saoirse Ronan was sexually abused by her father and this is what has caused the major conflict/situation that is the raison d'etre for what happens in the movie. The plot has been described many times so I won't go into it; suffice it to say that Saoirse's character is a very disturbed young woman and back in 1962 her issues were not being dealt with in a major or public way. If the movie (and book? which I haven't read) had gone into the sexual abuse more as well as exploring Saoirse's ambivalence about being a wife, I think it would have been better. Her character is barely explored and that is a shortcoming of the film. Especially since, as other reviewers have pointed out, not a whole lot "happens" in the film, the characterological and emotional issues should have been more emphasized.

"On Chesil Beach" (2017 release from the UK; 120 min.) brings the story of Florence and Edward/. As the movie opens, we are informed it is "1962", and we see Florence and Edward walking near the seaside somewhere in England. They retreat to their hotel and we understand this is their wedding night. The couple have ordered room service for their dinner, and after the waiters have finally left, they awkwardly commence their dinner. We then go back in time to when Florence mentions to her parents for the first time that she's met someone... At this point we're 10 min. into the movie but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out. Couple f comments: this is the big screen adaptation of the Ian McEwan best-selling book of the same name. In fact McEwan wrote the script for the film. I have not read the book, and hence cannot comment to what extent, if any, the movie differs from the book plot-wise. The film cut back and forth between the wedding night where the couple is trying to make love for the first time (yes, different times!), and earlier scenes, such as when they meet for the first time at a student initiative at Oxford University. For whatever reason, the movie fails (spectacularly, at that) to explain how these two people fell in love. I kept hoping that at some point a spark would ignite but it never happens. Saoirse Ronan, still only 23 yrs. old, does the best she canunder the circumstances, but even she cannot save this movie. Billy Howle as Edward is okay. I can only hope that "The Seagull", in which Ronan and Howle also co-star (and whose trailer played before "On Chesil Beach" in the theater) is miles better than this. Ultimately the blame for this must be cast at the feet of British director Dominic Cooke, a veteran of the English theater and here directing his debut feature film. "On Chesil Beach" premiered at last Fall's Toronto International Film Festival, and I was looking forward to seeing this. The movie opened this weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati. The Saturday matinee screening where I saw this at was attended okay but not great (about 10 people). I had high expectations for "On Chesil Beach", and, sadly, in the end I was immensely disappointed with the film. Nevertheless, if you are in the mood for a romantic movie and the mood strikes your fight, I'd encourage you to check this out, be it in the theater, on VOD, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.

"On Chesil Beach" is primarily set in the year 1962. But by all indications, the action should really be taking place in 1862 at the height of the morally repressive era in Victorian England. In the guise of being a romance, the film develops the story of a young British couple, Florence Ponting and Edward Mayhew, who fall in love, but their relationship falls apart with a disastrous wedding night that culminates in a long conversation in the idyllic, pebbly setting of Chesil Beach. Again, the story sounds like that of a frustrated married couple out of a Henrik Ibsen play like "A Doll's House." In the bonus track of the DVD, there was a lengthy segment where the writer, director, producer, and actors attempted to offer a rationale for this strange film. Here is a digest of their remarks: (1) The leading actress described the film as being "about two lovers." That statement is difficult to understand, based on a relationship that was never consummated. (2) The screenwriter described the theme of the young couple "crossing the line" from "innocence" to "experience." With vague generalities, the writer was avoiding the main subject matter of the film: the frigidity of Florence Ponting. (3) The screenwriter made another unsubstantiated claim that the conflict between Flo and Edward was based on "emotional understanding running ahead of physical understanding." But if that were the case, it was difficult to believe that their "problem" was not identified much earlier in the lengthy period of courtship, as opposed to the single, shocking revelation on their wedding night. (4) The film was described as "a love story" and "a tragedy." But the break-up of the couple due to a case of frigidity was hardly the subject matter of a love story. The cringeworthy subject matter was closer to pathos than tragedy. One of the film's producers made the jaw-dropping observation that "many people will identify with the relationship of Edward and Florence." Without any support for her contention, the producer then went on to assert that the film is "universal" in its implications! (5) The filmmakers boasted of how the film reveals the "internal life" of the characters. But in the crucial scene where Florence meets with her local vicar, all we see is that she is bottled up emotionally. We never learn much of Flo's internal life until the climactic conversation on Chisel Beach. There might have been more empathy for Flo's character if she had opened up to the vicar with the truth. Contrary to the objective of the film artists, "On Chesil Beach" was not about "internal life," but about the suppression of that life. SPOILER ALERT: At the close of the film, we fast forward from 1962 to 1975 and finally to 2007. During this sequence, it is revealed that Flo married and had children with Charles Morrell, the male member of her string ensemble. But it is never explained how that relationship was successfully consummated or how Flo had changed over time from her disastrous experience with Edward. There is an inherent dishonesty in a film that makes a bold claim for universality, yet refuses to explain character development and how people change over time. Specifically, what happened to Flo between the wedding night at Chesil when she described her bedroom experience with Edward as "revolting" and the time when she evidently discovered conjugal bliss with Charles Morrell? Most assuredly, Edward Mayhew has to be wondering what happened behind closed doors between Florence Ponting and Charles Morrell that was different from his experience with Flo at the Chesil Beach hotel.

"On Chesil Beach" (R, 1:50) is a drama from first-time feature film director Dominic Cooke (known mainly for helming TV's "The Hallow Crown" and "National Theater Live: A Comedy of Errors"). The screenplay is by British writer Ian McEwan, adapting his own 2007 novella of the same name. The film stars multiple Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan and Billy Howle - and was released one week after another literary adaptation, "The Seagull", in which the same two actors played young Russian lovers. This story follows two young Brits as they meet, fall in love and get married, focusing mainly on the wedding night. Florence Pointing and Edward Mayhew have just been married and have arrived at a hotel at the titular beach for their honeymoon. Through an uncomfortable dinner in their room and awkward fumblings with their clothes, it becomes painfully clear that they are equally inexperienced and nervous regarding sex. As the evening slowly progresses, we see flashbacks of how their romance developed, with hints at what makes the prospect of sleeping together so uncomfortable for them - especially Florence. When things come to a head, the young marrieds have a seaside conservation which reveals much about who they are (and the era in which they live) and has very important consequences for the rest of their lives. "On Chesil Beach" is one of the most layered and most profound movies you are likely to see in 2018. Woven in with the development of the romance, the developments on the wedding night and the repercussions of all of it are themes of sexual repression, gender roles, class differences, pride, regret, communication, forgiveness and, of course, love and marriage. Some will say that not much happens in this film, but there is still a whole lot happenING. And through it all, the considerable acting chops of the two leads (bolstered by solid performances from multiple Oscar nominee Emily Watson, Anne-Marie Duff, Samuel West, Adrian Scarborough and Bebe Cave) make the characters exceedingly sympathetic and relevant. This is a very well-done film without much action, but with plenty to show all of us. "A-"

This movie was a particular disappointment as Saoirse put in another wonderful performance and the co-star Billy Howle was also good. It is a coming-of-age movie with the awkwardness of the two parties being central. But unfortunately the scenes of their awkwardness go on forever and the quite nice music in the background, rather than making it more important, just seems to be pushing it. This movie needed a lot more substance or a lot sharper editing ... or maybe a different director. Maybe the moral is that the author (here Ian McEwan, whose work I like a lot) shouldn't be allowed to write the screenplay. Not an unpleasant way to spend a couple of hours, but I really hope that Saoirse takes on meatier roles.

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source: On Chesil Beach

December 7, 2017. Gala Screening, 14th Dubai International Film Festival. It was a great pleasure meeting the director in person and talk about his movie after the Gala Screening. Set in the 60's, two young people are married, and having their honeymoon. They are both virgin. They know each other, and it was completely a planned and arranged marriage. yet, they are so nervous. Their stories are told in flash back that comes often, as their nervous honeymoon progress. The frames were exceptionally good, especially in the outdoor. Hats-off to the cinematographer. The Chesil beach had a real classic touch. #KiduMovie