Review #17 | "Madame Bovary" (2014)

All flair and no substance, the classic story of Madame Bovary, restless wife of a country doctor, translates more as the story of an immature, unappreciative wife. The production concept is simply too muddled in the adaptation.

Mia Wasikowska has been no stranger to period Gothics, having taken a great turn as Jane Eyre in 2012 opposite Michael Fassbender. However, in "Madame Bovary" she doesn't so much lack the flair and talent such a role commands, but she feels like a trained actor doing community theatre. Not even Paul Giamatti could rescue some of the casting choices. Ezra Miller feels like a flat note in a sea of sharps. He is unnatural and uncomfortable in this racy role. His modern aesthetic doesn't match the world of classic Flaubert, even his modern dialect distracts from the ensemble. Henry Lloyd-Hughes (Charles Bovary) and Logan Marshall-Green (Marquis) deserve praise for their turns as the Emma Bovary's other lovers. Rhys Ifan simply continues to be creepy... sorry. Laura Carmichael is enchanting to watch as always, but it would have been nice to see more of her or even put her in the title role. As an actress, Wasikowska must be getting bored playing Gothic "feminists."

The costumes are nice to look at, but no amount of silk or satin can distract from an ambling screenplay. The audience is quickly bored as the pace of the movie is quickly slowed. Many questions are left to the audience to interpret on their own, leaving us to be continually a step or two behind the action.

Overall, a skip.

If a period Gothic is what you are looking for, Jane Eyre (2012) with Mia Wasikowska and the electric, ever enjoyable Michael Fassbender.

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"Madame Bovary" is rated R and runs 118 minutes.