Director: Christopher Menaul.
Starring: Emily Browning, Dan Stevens, Dominic Cooper, Hattie Morahan, Mia Austen, Max Deacon.
Running Time: 100 minutes.
Certificate: 15.
Synopsis: Set in Edwardian England, a troupe of artists find their lives changed forever when a young painter comes to stay in their idyllic Cornish village.
With a recent resurgence in period dramas including DOWNTON ABBEY, UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS and various Joe Wright feature films, it’s no surprise that Christopher Menual has chosen the non-fiction world for his next project, SUMMER IN FEBRUARY.
Based along the Cornish coast pre-WWI, SUMMER IN FEBRUARY focuses on the wild, bohemian Lamorna Group, a posse of artists including the much sought-after painter Alfred ‘AJ’ Munnings (Dominic Cooper). AJ spends his evenings – and most of his days – drinking in the local pub with his best friends, including Gilbert Evans (Dan Stevens) and Joey Carter-Wood (Max Deacon). One stormy evening, Joey’s sister Florence (Emily Browning) bursts through the pub door, catching the eye of everyone inside. After befriending both AJ and Gilbert, Florence is torn between what she knows and unpredictable territory.
Menaul manages to bring the characters and landscape alive. Shot on location, the crisp, wintery scenery of the Cornish coast is something to be seen on the big screen. Lush green fields contrasted with typically harsh southwestern storms perfectly match the tension on-screen. While Cooper plays the stubborn, arrogant alcoholic who can’t quite decide if he’s more in love with himself or booze, Stevens epitomizes the calm, gentle Englishman. Browning, a native Australian, nails a quaint countryside accent, making it hard to believe she wasn’t born here, and the three have magical chemistry throughout the film, whether it be for good or bad. Unlike some other period pieces, the film never slows down or gets stuck, building a tension you can’t ignore. As Florence becomes more and more entangled with both men, we can see her internally breaking down, until it takes over. While Cooper and Stevens fit their roles quite comfortably, Browning’s grace and talent will leave you in awe. Accompanied by a breathtaking orchestral soundtrack, this is a film which sticks with you.
SUMMER IN FEBRUARY has everything a period drama needs – stunning scenery matched with an intense narrative story. Cooper, Stevens and Browning come together to accurately portray a heartbreaking ‘true life’ love story too sad to be real.
SUMMER IN FEBRUARY is released in UK cinemas on June 14th.
drdownundermum
Jun 22, 2013 at 8:19 am
Oh dear . .so wrong on many counts.
Nobody in the film had an authentic Cornish accent for starters and practically all Cornishness was expunged from the film.The locations were authentic yes but little else was.
Emily Browning was playing a visitor from an upper middle class London family doing a bit of drawing and painting in a dilatante way.
However the film is perfectly watchable , if viewed as a latterday Mills and Boon lightweight love saga.