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On Chesil Beach

R Released May 18, 2018 1h 50m Romance Drama TRAILER for List
68% Tomatometer 171 Reviews 60% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
In 1962, newlyweds Edward and Florence, both in their early 20s and also both virgins, spend their honeymoon preoccupied and terrified by the upcoming consummation of their marriage.
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On Chesil Beach

On Chesil Beach

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Critics Consensus

On Chesil Beach presents a well-acted and solidly crafted adaptation of a small yet resonant story with deceptively rich subtext.

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Critics Reviews

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J. R. Jones Chicago Reader Once McEwan fully exposes the couple's compromised relationship there are some strong scenes of them surveying the wreckage together. Mar 10, 2020 Full Review Mark Kermode Kermode & Mayo's Film Review I really did believe in the central couple and their alienation. Aug 28, 2018 Full Review Robert Daniels 812filmreviews Unfortunately, by the final act of the film we've lost any empathy for these two. And there's little rationale as to why they should matter to anyone else. Rated: 2/4 Aug 27, 2018 Full Review Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Underwhelming romantic drama. Rated: C+ Mar 10, 2024 Full Review Merryn Johns Curve Ronan is stunning as Florence. Simultaneously fierce and delicate, she is the embodiment of a young woman who navigates the traps of heterosexuality -- without a feminist slogan or women’s group in sight. May 20, 2022 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy It's a movie that stumbles out of the gate. But after a fumbling first act, the story deepens alongside the narrative conflicts. Rated: 2.5/4 Jun 7, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Alan K My problem with this is how unlikeable the Edward character is. I'm sure he can't be that repellent in the book. I couldn't identify with him in any way and pretty much all I thought is, you have dodged a bullet there love. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 08/10/24 Full Review Ron R What a delicious sexual complex foray into the consciousness of a neurotic English couple who just can't get it together. Such tragic moments are delicious and revealing. I loved this. And felt the devastating consequences. Excellent pre fem drama. I kept wanting them to overcome their Drama but unfortunately. Not. So sad. But revealing Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/20/24 Full Review Chris M The year is 1962, newlywed couple Edward and Florence talk during their wedding night. To tell get to know each other. I don’t about England, but getting to know each other normally happens long before getting married. Being set in 1962 has no barring on the story whatsoever. Like the title, it’s never called Chesil Beach, so it’s a pointless as the rest of the movie. The good news is that they the film makers use a series of flashbacks instead of just the two leads talking. Some of the stories they tell have both of them in it, I was half expecting one to say, “I know, I was there.” I would call this melodrama, but considering these two are a stereotypical Brit that they don’t even raise their voices. SPOILER WARNING: IF YOU DON'T WANT THE ENDING SPOILED THEN STOP READING NOW: For some reason we flash forward several years where I guess Edward and Florence are divorced for reasons. Seriously, why did they get married in the first place. At the most was a one night stand. There was no chemistry. It’s like “Marriage Story” just without passion or actual acting. Overall, it’s one giant snooze with people who talk in monotone words and have less emotions than your average Vulcan. Don’t put it on unless you need to get to sleep fast. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 05/16/24 Full Review Jules W The cast was great but the story was so flawed. If she was truly frigid how could she have children with someone she didn't even like, let alone love? Rated 3 out of 5 stars 04/05/24 Full Review KB B It was pretty engaging but quite a different romance movie. The ending was so sad. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 12/30/23 Full Review Robert W It was a most disturbing movie but its weakness was the lack of clarity about the reason the young woman was so afraid of sex. On reflection it was clear that she had been sexually assaulted by her father, but this was not made very clear in the movie. In the book it is made clear and I feel that the movie would have been more powerful if the sexual assault by her father was also made very clear instead of tiny flashbacks which were very ambiguous and only on reflection about her lack of interest in sex was this made clear. As the victim of a sexual assault by her father she would have been traumatised by her father's behaviour. This was a bad mistake in the movie. Not to make this clear i my opinion made the movie confusing as to why she acted as she did in the marriage bed, but as the victim of sexual abuse it would have been very clear. I realise that the intent was probably to present the crazy attitudes to sex in early 1960s England but now we know so much more about the effects on the lives of the abused and we would have seen the reality of the effect of child sexual abuse on them as they try to go into marriage damaged emotionally for ever. To present the 1960s pre-sexual revolution, or to present the true back ground of the girl and her damaged mind was a difficult decision. I think the wrong one was made in the film. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/25/23 Full Review Read all reviews
On Chesil Beach

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis In 1962, newlyweds Edward and Florence, both in their early 20s and also both virgins, spend their honeymoon preoccupied and terrified by the upcoming consummation of their marriage.
Director
Dominic Cooke
Producer
Elizabeth Karlsen, Stephen Woolley
Screenwriter
Ian McEwan
Distributor
Bleecker Street Media
Production Co
BBC Films, Number 9 Films
Rating
R (Some Sexual Content and Nudity)
Genre
Romance, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 18, 2018, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 7, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA)
$741.6K
Runtime
1h 50m
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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