Let me start by saying that I haven’t read the book.
Very rarely is a movie adaptation better or equal to the novel. Usually, readers feel disappointed by the changes to the storyline, and if you’ve read my Bridgerton season 2 review, you’ll know that I am no exception.
So I deliberately decided to watch the movie without reading the book, so that could judge it by its own merits. I went in with no expectations other than the ones set by the trailer, as I agree that comparison is the thief of joy.
Second warning, if you have not seen this movie, DO NOT WATCH THE TRAILER! I stopped watching it halfway because it was revealing too much, which is a frustrating issue that a lot of romance movie trailers share. Just because I know they will end up together, doesn’t mean I want spoilers on how it happens.
Now that’s out of the way, let’s dive right in.
I loved this movie! This regency romance ticked all the boxes and was surprisingly funny. It is a romantic comedy, but that doesn’t always guarantee that it will make you laugh, but this film did.
The Cast is Wonderful
There are 3 standout performances in this movie.
The number one spot has to go to Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, who played Mr Malcolm. He is everything a romance lead needs to be and more. He’s gorgeous, charming, and has a look that has us melting.
He brings the romance to the movie and makes it easy to love his character. Mr Malcolm is intelligent and slightly arrogant but with a big heart; Sope does an excellent job of showing his different facets. He says one line in Uruba (a language in Nigeria) that was so shocking and heart-warming that it had my mind in a spin.
The second spot goes to Zawe Ashton as Julia Thistlewaite. Her character is a big personality and is responsible for driving a lot of the movie plot. She’s a flawed character who does some questionable things, but Zawe is so brilliant at injecting humour and mischieve into Julia that we can’t help but want the best for her.
And the winner of the funniest character award goes to Oliver Jackson-Cohen, playing Lord Cassid. His comedic timing was just spot on; he had the audience laughing out loud more than a few times. His character is like a wise fool and so loveable that viewers may appreciate a spin-off of his love story.
Bonus: Shoutout to Mr Malcolm’s actual list of qualities he wants in a woman. The film did a fantastic job of using it to create comedic moments as though the list is a character itself. The humour may be very British, so it may not be to the taste of other nationalities.
The colour-blind cast works so well. It’s clear who everyone is without any explanations, so you can just enjoy the movie in all its diversity.
Chemistry
One thing I appreciated in this movie is that Jeremy Malcolm and Selina Dalton spent time together. This doesn’t always happen in regency romance movies because, during this period, couples weren’t often unchaperoned due to propriety. However, once they had their meet cue (which took a while), we saw them together enough to believe they had fallen in love.
A dance number seems to be essential to any regency romance, and Mr Malcolm’s List didn’t disappoint. The soundtrack was beautiful, something you can listen to repeatedly (which I have). It made their dancing all the more special; definitely one of the best I’ve seen in a regency romance. The choreography and the actors create such intimacy that you become hypnotised by their movements. There’s one move they do with their hands that shouldn’t work so well, yet it leaves you in a trance.
Now I hate to say anything negative about an actor’s performance, but having watched the movie again, it’s hard to stay avoid. Freida Pinto as Selina Dalton was not great. As I don’t know how Selina is in the novel, the issue may be with the role more than the actress. All I know is I didn’t love her character, and I should have. She felt one-dimensional, lacking expression, and occasionally strange delivery of lines. She did have some lovely moments but not enough to hide that her acting was not on the level of her fellow actors. Sorry!!
Regardless, the movie is definitely a hit, and I highly recommend it. The stunning locations, incredible costumes/sets, and talented cast make this a romantic comedy you don’t want to miss!
Have you seen the movie? What did you think? Comment below to share your thoughts, and if you liked this article, please follow the Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter pages.
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