4 reviews

Really enjoyable movie. Good pace. Strongly recommended.

TurnerinOxford 23 Sep 2010

Posy Simmons is a very acute observer of modern stereotypes (especially the literary set) and her Guardian cartoon has transferred brilliantly to film. There is a lot of humour, but there's a bit of sadness and tragedy too, as we see libertarian hanky-panky for what it really is. Don't be put off by Pamplemousse -- go and see it!

Don Quixote 22 Sep 2010

One of the dullest movies I have seen in a long time ("Inception" being a close second), Tamara Drewe has all the appeal of a root canal. Two hours of my life (which felt more like three) wasted irretrievably on what should have at best been a two part ITV Sunday night special. Ideally a "straight to DVD" film.

The acting is on the whole excellent but with a turgid plot, one dimensional cardboard cut-out characters and a predictable and quite frankly adolescent script I could not help but feel I was trapped in some teenage TV hell of excruciating proportions.

Characters are drawn with such broad, almost grotesque brushstrokes that they become parodies rather than real human beings. Only one exudes warmth and genuine emotion ("Beth" played beautifully and poignantly by a superb Tamsin Greig).

The story drags along turgidly and pruriently. There is no subtlety, no warmth, nothing of value in this piece of complete and utter pulp ficton trash. I cannot express adequately the dislike I felt for this awful, awful film.

It is beautifully shot (Dorset is the real star) but it's so superficial and so incredibly vapid as to make the eyes water. I can now see the graphic novel connection: every character oozing generalisation and every single cliche under the sun exploited for maximum effect. If this is "Hardy-esque" then I really need to re-read my Hardy as I do not remember his writing being so devoid of true humanity and subtlety and his characters so lacking in development and complexity.

Never, ever, again should I pay any attention to newspapers reviews of forthcoming film. Until next time of course. The poster appalling, the title unappealing, maybe one's instincts are best followed sometimes!

Pamplemousse 16 Sep 2010

Having read the comments underneath Peter Bradshaw's review on the Guardian online, it seems this film has mixed reviews, which is always strange when one has just laughed out loud for an hour and a half and come out of the cinema on a high. L'enfer, c'est les autres.

Don't watch the trailer, it gives everything away. Just grab a pack of chocs and a mate, put your feet up and laugh your head off at top comic acting in a light but very good adaptation of Posy Simmonds's comic book creation.

Blokster 14 Sep 2010