Primavera en Beechwood

Eva Husson's first English-language film, 'Mothering Sunday,' is a lusty, deeply melancholy portrayal of loss and its lasting impact that often feels disjointed and uneven. It's pretty to look at with impressive performances (and sizzling chemisty) from Odessa Young and Josh O'Connor but, unfortunately, doesn't offer much else.

So this film is simply gorgeous.

It has a period feel but isn't stuffy. There are as many scenes without clothes as with them - and the actors are beautifully unselfconscious and believable.

The Nivens: an unfathomably brittle, broken and grieving mother (Olivia Coleman) and gentle, empty and lost father and husband (Colin Firth) are exquisitely cast and played - Firth visibly flinches in pain and empathy as Cole snaps at his continued efforts at politeness and generosity to friends. Their lack of sons is palpable in Firth's playing or Mr Niven's gentle paternal encouragement of all the young people they share their lives with (the maid and narrator included) and Cole's sharp silence.

The character of the narrator binds the temporal shifts together as we see how the events of one day can impact a whole life. Amazing acting from Odessa Young makes this film a joy to watch.

The only complaint is the slightly obvious addition of the narrator as an old woman (Glenda Jackson) - this trope is, no doubt, in the source material but could have been omitted as it only serves to make the structure a little cliched.

Otherwise a wonderful and sumptuous - and incredibly well acted - film which is well worth watching over and over again .

A young house maid (Odessa Young) to The Nivens (Colin Firth/ Olivia Coleman) visits her lover (Josh O'Connor) for the last time, whilst The Nivens visit the neighbours to celebrate the forthcoming marriage of their son, O'Connor, who obviously is otherwise engaged.

A film you need real patience for, as the bulk of the run time is taken up with a fairly straightforward tale of young lovers within the English upper classes - Upstairs, Downstairs if you will - and gently and nicely done it is.

It is worth waiting though, for quite a long way in, things develop dramatically that you probably won't expect, affecting the young couple, The Nivens and their neighbours which is handled magnificently. Odessa Young does a fine job holding all this together in the starring role, but support from Coleman and Firth is the high point, with a special treat with essentially just one scene featuring the great Glenda Jackson. Overall, slow to be sure, but ultimately cleverly written and rather moving.

Lots of earthy cinematography... very decent acting and an interesting story... a movie to just relax and ponder. The weaving of nude shots of Odessa Young are masterful... done with taste... while not taking over the story. A lot of character building in such a short time.

The scenery is incredible, as is the performances of Colin Firth and Olivia Colman.

The rest of the movie is incredibly disjointed, and because there is no actual emotion or feeling between the two main characters, Odessa Young and Josh O'Connor, it quickly became annoying. There is only so much cigarette smoking a person can watch before you realize, I suppose, this is the point where the viewer is supposed to be emotionally touched. The problem is, I wasn't. Ever.

This felt like going to a beautiful restaurant and waiting so long for your meal that by the time it's gets there you want to throw the plate on the floor.

Much of the movie is beyond belief, such as the maidservant (who, between the wars, works for the wealthy Niven family), wandering naked through a manor house, seemingly unconcerned that the owners may show up...for over an hour.

At every turn, I kept thinking, here it is, we must be getting to the point...but 'the point' simply never happened.

A waste of talent and scenery, however it is worth watching simply for the performances of Firth and Colman. They are outstanding.