My Cousin Rachel Review - Handsome Period Piece

My Cousin Rachel - the new Daphne Du Maurier adaptation - makes good use of Rachel Weisz in the title role of the possibly homicidal widow of Phillip's (Sam Claflin) cousin. For the most part, this intrigue is substituted for romantic tension, which leads to some oedipal themes that would make Marty McFly uncomfortable. The idea of an independent woman in the 1800s being ostracised is also floated around to great effect.

Furthermore, Mike Eley's lovely cinematography is a pleasant sight, such as an especially striking shot of a dejected Phillip eating breakfast. Accompanied with director Roger Michell's sinister framing, you have a visually splendid film. Weisz toes the line between sympathetic and suspicious very well, and Claflin's puppy-like expressions portray his naivety without being an utterly hopeless moron as he is apparently manipulated by her in the second act. It's a shame that the languid pacing and anticlimactic final act mean that the film runs out of steam before a disappointing conclusion. Book readers will likely frown at particular changes too.

THREE AND A BIT STARS. Those pearls are packed with meaning, I'm adamant.