‘Summerland’ Review: Dir. Jessica Swale (2020)

For her feature film directorial debut, playwright Jessica Swale tells a wartime story of companionship – about a lonely writer that opens her heart to an evacuee – in 1940s Kent.

Academic writer and scholar Alice Lamb (Gemma Arterton) is a reclusive woman with a mostly negative reputation in her local village – she’s grumpy, unwelcoming, and cares only for her work. She avoids her mail and some members of her community even think she’s a spy. So she’s taken aback when her solitude is interrupted by evacuee Frank (Lucas Bond) arriving at her door looking for a temporary home; reluctantly taking him in, Alice quickly opens her heart to the young boy as the pair find respite in one another’s company as they navigate the hardships of War.

So many of these war-inspired period dramas have come out of Britain’s film industry at this point that Summerland doesn’t feel like anything new. And it certainly isn’t. With a shopworn narrative and dialogue that’s about as melodramatic as a soap opera, we’ve seen this countless times already.  Cinematographer Laurie Ross’s luscious imagery is bright, pulpy, and scenic while Volker Bertelmann’s old-fashioned score complements the visual palette. Coupled with a simplistic story, it’s easy to see why the candy-coloured Summerland is appealing but the minimalistic approach feels lacking for what this particular story sets out to achieve.

That being said, Swale comes from a theatrical background and she is able to draw such magnetic performances from her cast. If there’s a plus about Summerland, it’s that it acts as a vehicle for Arterton to flex her talent on-screen for 90 minutes or so. The actress is expectedly terrific in the role; with so many period dramas under her belt at this point, the wartime sensibility must come easily to her but she delivers it with just as much conviction as ever. Alice’s arc, while predictable and twee, feels more dimensional thanks to how well Arterton peels back the layers through her acting. Her backstory with Gugu Mbatha-Raw’s Vera is when the film is at its peak but the film does shy away from delving into Alice’s sexuality as much as it perhaps could have. Considering the script alludes to how tough it is for Alice and Vera to love one another in 20th Century Britain, it feels like a missed opportunity for Swale to not focus on that thread more.

Summerland is a cosy movie. At its heart, it’s about the friendship Alice forges with Frank and the pair share a sweet, albeit thin, dynamic. The young Bond is strong in his role and he has veritable chemistry with Arterton – on excellent form here. While it does feel too restricted by convention, there is enough here to admire Swale’s effort. It’s just a shame that she doesn’t do more with the screenplay, especially given that it lends itself to some powerful storytelling. The potential is there but, ultimately, Summerland feels unremarkable because we’ve seen it so many times before.

Summerland is now playing in cinemas.