In the early 1960s, a young couple on their honeymoon struggle to physically connect in this sensitive adaptation of Ian McEwan’s acclaimed short novel.
As Florence (Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn) and Edward (Billy Howle, Dunkirk) settle down for their first dinner as a married couple, a nervous energy fills the air. But while it might appear the fledgling husband and wife are suffering from wedding night jitters, it becomes apparent that something else is creating the divide as the inevitability of physical intimacy looms ever closer.
Gorgeously lensed by Sean Bobbitt (12 Years a Slave) and impeccably adapted for the screen by McEwan himself, Dominic Cooke’s quietly heartbreaking debut is a work of subtle restraint, capturing the intricacies of the source material with grace and delicacy.
Ronan shines as the hesitant young bride, ably supported by rising star Howle, both of whom express so much, even when their characters struggle to find the words. For a film in which many emotions remain unspoken, this melancholic love story speaks profoundly about the fragility of human relationships and the destructive nature of silence.
