LOVE IS NOT OURS TO CONTROL.
In the 1920s, Oxford student Charles Ryder (Matthew Goode) becomes a close friend of the aristocratic Sebastian Flyte (Ben Whishaw) and is introduced into his troubled, Catholic family. Director Julian Jarrold targeted the same audience who had enjoyed his Becoming Jane (2007) with this adaptation of a novel that had already been turned into a much celebrated miniseries in 1981. This take is a two-hour summary and the results are good under the circumstances, although it doesn’t leave much room for independent interpretations; the gay ingredients are fully stated. Well written, but the performances are a little bland.
2008-Britain. 133 min. Color. Widescreen. Directed by Julian Jarrold. Novel: Evelyn Waugh. Cast: Matthew Goode (Charles Ryder), Ben Whishaw (Sebastian Flyte), Hayley Atwell (Julia Flyte), Emma Thompson, Michael Gambon, Greta Scacchi… Felicity Jones.
Trivia: David Yates was reportedly considered for directing duties; Paul Bettany, Jennifer Connelly and Jude Law for the leads. Castle Howard stands in for Brideshead, just as it did in the miniseries.
