Review of Far from the Madding Crowd (2015) by Glenn G — 04 May 2015

WHAT'S YOUR DAMAGE, BATHSHEBA? - My Review of FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD (4 Stars).

Oh, my good God, swoon! I've never been a big fan of the corsets and tea genre, often finding them to be elitist first world problem tales. Maybe it's the inherent feminism or the fully alive direction, but Danish director Thomas Vinterberg, whose THE CELEBRATION was a fantastically subversive piece of psychodrama, and writer David Nicholls (ONE DAY), have adapted the Thomas Hardy classic and have infused it with a palpable sense of romantic longing.

From the start, cinematographer Charlotte Bruus Christensen presents some lovely tableaus of the English countryside, and Carey Mulligan as Bathsheba Everdene enters on horseback and beautifully, deliriously lies down on her steed, looking up at the sky and the infinite possibilities of being a free woman in the world. It's an auspicious entrance for her character, who quickly proves herself to have a strong backbone, confidence, and a sense of who she is and what she wants out of life. Set in the late 19th century, when a woman became a man's property once married, Bathsheba wants none of it.

She meets her neighbor and landowner, Gabriel Oak, played by one of my favorite rising international stars, Matthias Shoenhaerts (RUST AND BONE, THE DROP), who instantly proposes marriage. Despite his obvious kindness, Bathsheba spurns his advances, setting in motion a series of events, including two other marriage proposals and constantly shifting loyalties. Her other two suitors are played by Michael Sheen, truly touching as the rich but aging William Boldwood, and Tom Sturridge, creepy yet complicated as Sergeant Francis Troy, a military officer with some pretty upsetting behavioral tics. All provide distinctive, well-wrought characterizations. Even the ostensible villain of the film, Francis, is given his understandable point of view. He behaves like a man of the times, preening and claiming women as his prize, but he also shows palpable moments of vulnerability. Also of note is Juno Temple, heartbreaking as Fanny, a woman whose fortunes turn on a dime.

At first, I was truly annoyed with Bathsheba when she refuses to marry Gabriel. She reminded me of every commitment-phobe I've had the displeasure of meeting my entire adult life! I wanted to go all HEATHERS on her and ask, "What's your damage?" But context is everything, and her need to prove to the world and more importantly, to herself, that she can make her own way, deserves to inspire every young woman (and man) who sees this film. STILL, did she really say no to Matthias Shoenhaerts???

Well, yes she did, because otherwise, this would have been a 10 minute short. In retrospect, I'm thrilled she denied him, because this is a saga about earning it. And earn it they do, as there is nothing stodgy about this film. It feels urgent and current, despite the period setting and costumes. There's a delicious majesty to the yearning here, because it's so often undercut with some hard edges, thanks to Mulligan's perfectly calibrated performance. I've never seen John Schlesinger's nearly 3 hour 1967 version starring Julie Christie and I've never read the novel, but the through line of passion, yearning and unrequited love felt so deeply resonant in this remake.

There's a scene in a hollow in which Sergeant Troy seduces Bathsheba with some fancy sword play. It's so slinky and startling, that the sexual undertones rose to the surface. Any time Gabriel and Bathsheba interact, you feel the connection and the stunning control in their acting. I've been a fan of Mulligan's since AN EDUCATION, but worried she would become too instantly anointed as that kind of actor who studios love to put in classic period pieces. Instead, she impressively chose some pretty diverse, edgy projects (DRIVE, INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS, SHAME, NEVER LET ME GO). So I went to this film with great trepidation, thinking she would finally succumb to the prim and proper gods. On the surface, she has, but her strong, self-possessed grasp on her character, the connections she builds with her fellow cast members, and the effortlessness in which she carries this movie, made me want to stand and cheer. This is lush storytelling, aided immeasurably by Craig Armstrong's hummable score, and if you decide to surrender to one chick flick this year, make it FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD.