Tamara Drew

Here’s an odd little film. Tamara Drew (based on a newspaper comic strip that became a graphic novel) is a very loosely linked reworking of Thomas Hardy’s Far From The Madding Crowd. In the film, Tamara Drew (Gemma Arterton) returns to her childhood village as her old house is being put up for sale. Whilst there she stirs the interest of the man-folk of the hamlet, including an old flame (Luke Evans) and a slimy novelist (Roger Allam). Not that’s she interested in them for the moment, due to her new rocker boyfriend Dominic Cooper. The film is basically a commentary about love and lust, both consummated and desired. A problem lies in the fact that you feel very little sympathy for any of the characters. The majority are self absorbed, whilst others are wetter than the English Channel. Tamsin Grieg though scores points as Allam’s put upon wife, giving a performance of real devastation as things turn sour. In addition, Jody Long and Casey Shaw are excellent as teenage girls obsessed with Cooper. Director Stephen Frears smartly showing us just how dangerous young obsession can be. Your eyebrows may raise at the mention of Frears, as, yes, this does seems an unusual project for him to take on. He does his best, but the screenplay is too episodic for any directorial flushes to occur and the turn into some dark comedy at the end doesn’t fit well. Talking of not fitting well, this film could set a record for Arterton wearing the smallest pair of denim shorts since that girl in The Hitcher remake.


The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
A few laughs to be had, but it’s hard to care what happens to anyone really. Give it an extra mark if you love cows though. Rating: 5/10.