Staff Writer: DL Mullan4 out of 5 ShovelsA Noel Coward play from the 1924 comes to life in this rendition of Easy Virtue. The polish added to transfer a play to film was a treat. Slick, dry humor in a few throw away lines as well as the characters' sharp quips kept tempo with the feel and mood of this contemporary spin. The undertones spoke volumes about rich sensibilities and the down to earth goddess that rocks their country lifestyle.
Though hesitant about Jessica Biel across from great film notables such as Kirsten Scott Thomas and Colin Firth, her performance entertained and surprised me. I enjoyed her clumsy slapstick, romantic interludes, and understated dissatisfaction. The war between her character, Laurita, and the mother-in-law, Veronica, is priceless. Without an energetic performance from Biel, the battles would not have been the same.
As a protective, over-bearing, and stressed out mother, Veronica tries to control her two daughters and son, John, by any manipulative means necessary. Her power even casts a heavy hand over her husband. Thomas is a joy in this role. She gives the audience a love-hate relationship with her uptight character.
Colin Firth plays her detached husband, Jim. A warn-torn hero who doesn't feel like a hero, Firth gives his character a dark dimension under the silent struggle to remain a part of his dysfunctional family. Though seen in his eyes, the ex-soldier rather die then keep up appearances one more day. For peace's sake, he does try while repairing a motorcycle in his private den.
John, a lovable panda of a man, is innocent and sweet. He loves life, but when he brings his new American bride home, his world begins to unfurl. Ben Barnes gives a sympathetic and wistful performance as the boy-man. The melodies that he fills the house with soon become hushed in an emotional torrent of becoming a man, keeping his boyish humor, loving his wife, and staying true to the changing times around him.
With the addition of the two head-case sisters, Hilda and Marion, misunderstandings abound. The unending conflict leads to the disintegration of John and Laurita's relationship. John is unable to discern where his loyalties lie and Laurita has experienced what links someone will go for another. She doesn't see a glimpse of that affection from her new husband.
Laurita for the boundless love she feels, she also knows right from wrong. In the end, a dance separates Laurita from the country and invites her into the wind. With positive assertion, she takes herself back to the racing circuit with a wing, prayer, painting, and someone else who is along for the ride.
As the movie progresses from the musical beginning, the more serious overtones become apparent. Easy Virtue seems campy at first but metamorphoses into a beautiful butterfly. And if you like 20's style music, I hear there's a soundtrack with Ben Barnes, Jessica Biel, and Colin Firth lending their voices to some tracks.
As a period piece, Easy Virtue fits right in with our genre theme. Think fantasy. But don't be fooled. It's a humorous and dramatic comment on the state of humanity's pride and prejudice.
Easy Virtue opened in England November 2008 (DVD available in that region) and will open in American theaters beginning May 22, 2009 in limited release.
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