I would literally watch Saoirse Ronan in anything.
In the gorgeous On Chesil Beach, she is as radiant as ever, daring you to take your eyes off her.
You won’t. And you will find it impossible to believe this poised young Englishwoman was Lady Bird.
The movie, based on the novel by Ian McEwan, takes place in 1962 Britain, before Beatlemania and the sexual revolution changed the world.
Ronan stars as Florence, the daughter of smug, upper class parents who disapprove of Edward (Billy Howle), her middle-class boyfriend. But the two are deeply in love and, against her parents’ wishes, they get married.
Much of this is told in flashbacks, with the story opening on their wedding day since that’s the day that becomes the defining point of their relationship — but not in any way you may think.
It turns out Florence is terrified of having sex. Edward doesn’t know what to do about this, and she doesn’t know how to talk about it. They cry, they scream, they argue.
They never consummate the marriage.
In theory, this is fascinating. But I felt like the back story itself was never really consummated, either. There’s one close-your-eyes-and-you’ll-miss-it hint of why she feels the way she does, but I wanted to know more.
Maybe the reason isn’t important, though — although if it’s what they’re hinting, it sure as hell is. Maybe what’s important is McEwan’s first line of the novel, “They were young, educated, and both virgins on this, their wedding night, and they lived in a time when a conversation about sexual difficulties was plainly impossible.”
Maybe the movie is all about the importance of communication and being able to talk about uncomfortable things. I didn’t read the book but the movie left me hanging.
I loved the clothes and the scenery and, of course, Ronan. And, weirdly enough, every time we see the trailer, Michael and I agree it still makes us want to see the movie even though it left us feeling, like Edward, unsatisfied.
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