Jeffrey P B
It was OK. Typical literary trope of bourgeois frustration, so satisfied boredom and self-indulgence consumes. I found the ending rather pressing, a bit of a stretch just for metaphorical thrills. Slow paced and rather pedestrian. If it weren't for Gemma, I would have turned it off very early.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
07/21/23
Full Review
Kim
I consider this film to be my go-to comfort film. I adore the way it portrays Gemma's unhappiness and how she tried to find excitement in having an affair and how she hoped to live a better life in France, but you can tell she wasn't expecting it to actually happen. You can also see how uncomfortable she felt and how she tried to improve herself, but in the end everything was in vain as she passed away surrounded by toxic relationships, proving that she never found happiness, dying by affixation just like she lived, suffocated by the world looking for a way out, looking for freedom.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
11/07/22
Full Review
isla s
I enjoyed this as a French film centering on English/British people. Its mostly in French but not entirely and I liked the subtlety it has. There are some thoughtful moments and nice settings, in lush gardens and the like. There are some fairly amusing moments, though it is a fairly cringe-y sort of comedy present at times. As the film went on and the plot progressed, I found it more amusing and ridiculous but in a good way, so it's fair to say I enjoyed it and I would recommend it to others, yes.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
Audience Member
- Gemma Bovery is a lush and sexy French village drama -
Have I purposefully avoided reading Gustave Flaubert's groundbreaking classic about the tragic Madame Bovary? Yes. What can I say? Ill-fated stories generally tend to put me off.
So why did I want to see a retelling of this tale set in modern-day Normandy? BECAUSE FRANCE.
Who doesn't love stories set amidst freshly baked bread, an abundance of local wine, gossiping villagers, and the verdant French countryside? And I'm a sucker for imaginative retellings. This one, I am happy to say, did not disappoint.
The movie opens with local baker Martin Joubert (Fabrice Luchini, L'Hermine, Bicycling with Molière) baking his bread for the day while listening to a broadcast about his favorite novel, Madame Bovary. He left his career at a publishing company in Paris to take over his father's bakery in the village, hoping for a quiet, peaceful life. But life in the country seems to be quite the opposite of what everyone expects.
When Gemma Bovery (Gemma Arterton, Quantum of Solace, Tamara Drewe) arrives in the tiny village with her husband, Charles (Jason Flemyng, X-Men: First Class, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen), she is instantly enchanted. It may have been his idea to relocate from London, but she is fully on board with his decision and determined to learn French, fix up their chateau, and completely immerse herself in this new life. Martin, ever the romantic, can't help but draw parallels between his new neighbors' names and their home in the village where Flaubert once lived.
Gemma, for all her good intentions, gradually becomes bored of her quiet life. And the subtle expression of this boredom creeping in is what grabbed my attention and pulled me completely into her story. I love the French countryside, but I'm a true city girl at heart, and my personal experience of staying in a similarly small French village for a time made me sit up a bit in recognition and empathy as I watched the heroine seek a remedy to her boredom. The unforeseen problems with their ancient house, the lack of varied company, and their relative isolation all combine to chip at Gemma's marriage and make her seek the more exciting company of a neighboring college student.
Martin (who has officially stepped into stalker territory by now) takes it upon himself to save Gemma Bovery from Emma Bovary's fate, and in so doing he manages to help her along the same destructive path.
When confronted with Martin's conviction of her life imitating Flaubert's art, Gemma's confident assertion that she is simply herself, and that she (unlike her namesake) is capable of being happy, was an inspiring moment that, for me, sealed this film as a solid, decidedly modern retelling.
Gemma Bovery made me laugh, it made me think, it tugged at memories and emotions like old friends...it even made me long to revisit the French countryside (just for a little while).
Best enjoyed with a glass of wine and dark chocolate.
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This review was first published on Narrative Muse, http://www.narrativemuse.co/movies/gemma-bovery, and was written Micah Orsetti. Narrative Muse curates the best books and movies by and about women and non-binary folk on our website http://narrativemuse.co and our social media channels.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/08/23
Full Review
Audience Member
A Charming little Movie.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
01/14/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Ah, the English-French culture clash! Loved the sad-faced neighbour and his forever critical wife. And their dog Gus. And then the local Englishman who loves France for its cheese and wine (only?). And his gushy French wife. And the local Adonis' mother. These are all truly memorable comic characters. I found these more interesting than the central couple, the Boverys. They make it well worth watching. The odd well-chosen Anglo-Saxon word or phrase (sometimes in French!) puts everyone in their place, including poor Gus!
Nice soundtrack too.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/22/23
Full Review
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