Madame Bovary

"She wanted to die, but she also wanted to live in Paris." ― Gustave Flaubert

Walking into the cinema... A classic novel by Gustave Flaubert that might be familiar to many by name only, but still sets the standard for realism. Emma Bovary has been portrayed by a multitude of actresses, but how will the perennial period actress, Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland) handle the disenchanted wife of Charles Bovary?

Art-house rating: 2.5 stars* Cinematic rating: 2.5 stars Big question opportunities: 3 stars

Review

It is the name that might sound familiar, but this may be the first time this generation has engaged the story of Madame Bovary. Set in provincial 19th century northern France, Emma Bovary is a misunderstood soul who desires more than the small country town life style. She is beautiful and loved, but an enigma to most of the people who come into her life. Her father, the boarding school nuns and her husband, Dr. Charles Bovary (Henry Lloyd-Hughes) have an adoration for her, but do not know what to do with her wandering spirit. Her arranged marriage to the community physician, Charles, affords her a certain position within this small community's societal life. Soon she finds that this life as a doctor's wife, is not as glamorous as she thought and seeks satisfaction from her boredom. Emma finds solace in decorating her home, wearing the latest fashion and living out the romance she desires in the arms of other men. Eventually, overspending and the extra- marital relationships are all brought to light and Emma must come to terms with the repercussions of these revelations.

Before dismissing this structure as a run of the mill romance novel, stop to consider that this classic tale provides something unexpected in literature. Gustave Flaubert's tragic tale explores the multiple layers of the feminine heart and what happens to someone when they painstakingly seek after the life that was not meant to be. A story chapter rich and laden with emotion. The key to a good film is a rich story. Madame Bovary provides just such a tale, but the implementation does not match the richness of the Flaubert novel.

Sophie Barthes delivers a realistic view of 19th century France by depicting the look and feel of Emma Bovary's life as a societal lady in a small town. The landscapes and French countryside provide a canvas for Barthes to paint an emotional backdrop for her acting talent. Her direction delivers a masters class in effective visual delivery, but stumbles in with her casting choices. Leaving the comments about the multiplicity of accents to a minimum and focusing on the actors themselves. (Couldn't they have at least attempted a French lilt to their delivery?) The casting missteps came in the lead characters of Mia Wasikowska and Ezra Miller (The Perks of Being a Wallflower). Wasikowska has proved her skills in portraying women of this era in Jane Eyre, but she does not have the commanding presence to play the emotional layers and sensuality of Emma Bovary. She continues to prove herself as an actress, but does not rise to the challenge of this iconic literary figure. Similarly, Ezra Miller is a striking young man, but was woefully miscast. He does not have a commanding presence on the screen and comes off like a love-sick school boy throughout the film. These central characters let Barthes' direction down and ultimately fail to provide a satisfactory experience. Paul Giamatti and Henry Lloyd-Hughes should get a nod as under- utilised talent, but the support characters cannot make up for the leads. If Barthes does redeem herself in choosing talent it was with the casting of Rhys Ifans (Sherlock) as the devious Monsieur Lheureux. He has the ability to sweep into each scene and convince Madame Bovary and the audience that he is an ally, but proves to be the unassuming villain. Barthes provides a beautiful backdrop for her portrait of Madame Bovary, but neglected to find the right individuals to complement the cinematic canvas.

Flaubert was known to be artistic with his words and even in this less than effect interpretation of his novel, the tragedy that is Madame Bovary draws the audience into this captivating, fictitious world. How this man was able to deliver a story that seems to capture the heart of the dissatisfied woman is amazing to consider. His story shows us how easy it is to miss out on what is important in this life. Flaubert provides a multitude of entry points into the considerations for envy, satisfaction and contentedness. Showing that when striving to find satisfaction in mere things or people, they will ultimately fail to provide the answers that exist beyond this life. It is unfortunate that the cinematic experience could not match the richness of the original story, but even in this weak delivery, the story of Madame Bovary does allow for engagement and contemplation of the bigger ideas of life.

Leaving the cinema... How do you take on a classic like Madame Bovary? Sophie Barthes has the skills as a director, but does not seem up to the challenge of taking on Flaubert's novel. It was a credible attempt, but ultimately forgettable.

Reel Dialogue: What are the bigger questions to consider from this film? 1. Why is love essential to life? (Matthew 22:26-40, 1 Corinthians 13) 2. Can we find redemption for our lives? (Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 1:14) 3. What should we do with the boring parts of life? (Ecclesiastes 2:24-26, Proverbs 19:15)

Written by Russell Matthews based on a five star rating system @ Russelling Reviews #russellingreviews #madamebovary

I loved the novel and was looking forward to the movie. Stopped watching when I first saw Leon. This actor is too young for that role. The color of his voice, his laughter, the look on his face, the overall expression - he looks 18. That ruined the movie for me. What on Earth were they thinking?! Emma would never fall for a guy like that.

Oh, talking about Emma... Seriously? Mia Wasikowska? The same way I think they made a mistake with choosing Keira Knightley for Anna Karenina, I think she would have been much better choice for Emma, in this case.

OK, enough of bad criticism now. This movie looks expensive and very endearing for the eyes. Both, the costumes and the scenery look realistic. I would imagine XIX century France like this.

Emma (Mia Wasikowska) leaves the convent to marry boring country doctor Charles Bovary (Henry Lloyd-Hughes). Life is dull. She flirts with awkward law clerk Léon Dupuis (Ezra Miller) and has an affair with the dashing Marquis d'Andervilliers (Logan Marshall-Green). She spends outrageously beyond her means and lecherous Monsieur Lheureux (Rhys Ifans) is too willing to give her credit. Monsieur Homais (Paul Giamatti) is the pharmacist friend.

Everybody speaks softly especially Mia. Her dull life is filmed in long scenes which only accentuates the dullness and infects the movie with its dullness. At least, the dullness is quite convincing. Mia needs to pierce that dullness with more powerful passionate acting but she is going for callous and wanting. She is still the heroine. It's all very subdue. I'm no literary person and maybe she is supposed to be this way. I can't comment on the accuracy of the depiction. It would be more compelling for her to embrace the darkness. It is beautiful in a moody sunset period piece way but it doesn't have the exuberance. It's kinda dull.

The crunch of the story is forgotten in this diluted adaptation. Anyone not familiar with the story prior to watching this film would be left with the impression that Madame Bovary was a fragile victim who simply fell into circumstances over her head. But this is not who the classic Madame Bovary character was or why she inspired writers and directors to retell her story throughout the years. The classic Madame Bovary is an ambitious, strong-willed woman who connived to continuously improve her status in society, even before she married. She had passion and vision. The character in this film has no redeeming qualities and stumbles through the story as an ungrateful opportunist who becomes less likable as the story progresses. The ethereal atmosphere, cinematography and set design were all remarkable, but combined with the weak storytelling makes this an average film with a forgettable Madame Bovary character.

Yet again we have an incarnation of Flaubert's novel of infidelity and this time the transformation of the book to screen (by Felipe Marino and director Sophie Barthes) is, at best, weak. The pacing of the film is adagio and the cast is adequate if unremarkable. The only standout in the film is the costumer and the strange but adequately atmospheric music by Evgueni and Sacha Galperine.

For those who have forgotten the story, 'In mid-1800s Normandy, France, farmer's daughter Emma (Mia Wasikowska) leaves the convent where she was educated and marries a young doctor, Charles Bovary (Henry Lloyd-Hughes). With high hopes for a fulfilling and romantic future like the ones she reads about in novels, Emma leaves her childhood home and loving father, moving to the small town of Yonville where Charles has based his practice. While Charles loves his new wife, he is consumed by his work and is out of the house all day visiting patients. During their brief daily time together, Emma is bored and repulsed by his talk of ailments and dull business affairs, and Charles is all but oblivious to her ennui. With no regular company besides their maid, Henriette (Laura Carmichael), Emma becomes a vulnerable client to the crafty local merchant Lheureux (Rhys Ifans), who entices her with luxury goods available for purchase on credit. Emma soon befriends a young clerk, Leon Dupuis (Ezra Miller), who shares her romantic frame of mind and disdain for provincial Yonville. Emma longs to go to Paris and immerse herself in the culture, and has quickly tired of her dull existence as a country doctor's wife. Leon secretly confesses his love to Emma, who, despite the mutual attraction, dismisses his advances. Leon departs for law studies in Paris. Charles and Emma are invited to a hunting party by the Marquis d'Andervilliers (Logan Marshall- Green), who had dropped by Doctor Bovary's house to have one of his servants treated. The Marquis was immediately attracted to Emma, who becomes so excited about the excursion into high society that she orders expensive clothes from Lheureux for the occasion. At the party, she is entranced by the luxury of the upper-class and by the subtle advances of the Marquis, whom she meets once more at an agricultural show. Emma's thirst for extravagance only grows, and she begins to spend liberally to beautify the house and her wardrobe, all on credit from Lheureux. She also takes the advice of local pharmacist Homais (Paul Giamatti) and convinces her husband to operate on the club-foot of Homais' servant Hippolyte (Luke Tittensor) and become a celebrated surgeon. The surgery fails. Ashamed of her husband's incompetence and feeling all the more stifled, Emma visits the Marquis at his home and confesses her misery. They begin an affair, with Emma making regular trips on foot through the woods to visit him. Charles has no inkling of his wife's unhappiness in the marriage or of her affair. Emma eventually begs the Marquis to run away with her, and though he initially refuses, he calms her by promising to make arrangements to elope.' And to tell the rest would be consider spoilers.

Mediocre at best this is a very long song that could have been so much better in so many ways.