MPAA Rating: R/ Genre: Drama Thriller/ Stars: Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning, Oona Laurence, Angourie Rice, Addison Riecke/ Runtime: 94 minutes
I feel it must be said that the very concept of the remake has an extremely horrible reputation in the world of movie making, although this is most certainly one that has been acquired because the studios have made a lot of errors in that area of movie magic. With that being said though, I definitely feel that Sofia Coppola’s film adaptation of The Beguiled is a wonderful example for Hollywood to look at in regards to just what the proper way to bring back a narrative that has already been filmed before. Indeed instead of just being a through and through do-over of a property we have already viewed on the silver screen, it would actually be a lot more practical for Hollywood to utilize the idea of a remake as a way to discover both perspectives as well as approaches that weren’t really the focus of the previous effort. Yet this is the very thing that has Coppola has managed to utilize in this film. Indeed while to be fair this film is far from perfect, it is nevertheless an extremely well-crafted narrative that has a solid foundation courtesy of a group of fantastic performances.
The plot is as follows: The Beguiled “2017” takes us back in time to the state of Virginia at the height of that deadly conflict that we know as the American Civil War, and sets its focus on centers on a school for young girls, but during the war, has also been set up as place to live for the school’s headmistress, instructor, and several of the students. Yet even though the ever-continuing conflict has managed to create quite the deadly mix of both frustration and quarrels already, things get even more complicated when, whilst out gathering supplies for dinner one evening, one of the girls discovers a wounded Union soldier by the name of John McBurney, and brings him back to the seminary for treatment. Yet while Miss Martha the school’s headmistress does grant him the courtesy of being allowed to take up residence in the school’s music room until he is well again, suffice it to say every woman in the residence is extremely cautious about having a Yankee in their midst. Yet nevertheless John manages to attempt to really endear himself to the ladies of the house and try to make them feel more relaxed around him. Unbeknownst to John however, this well-meaning gesture soon also comes equipped with having the unintended side effect of escalating and creating a climate full of sexual tension which before too long threatens to boil over in a way that will change the lives of both John and this group of women forever….
Now the director of this movie is able to use this movie’s narrative to great effect when it comes to creating absolutely wonderful relationships between the cast of players as well as the atmosphere of the narrative all while that said narrative never is able to give the audience enough turns and curves in the road. Indeed make no mistake: this is a film which is very much about the rat’s nest of interlinkedness and connectivity primarily between John and Miss Martha the headmistress, Edwina the schoolteacher, and Alicia the oldest student the school has. Yet this is also a movie which chooses to showcase more in regards to conflict on the inside rather than becoming a Hitchcock-stylized film that sets out to consistently make you question just what exactly is going on. Thus if you are venturing to this narrative in the hopes for a comprehensive amount of both story and intrigue in equal measure you might just find yourself disappointed with this film even as it offers up some really wonderful acting performances as a worthy compromise.
With that having been said, I definitely feel that The Beguiled actually is a fantastic display for some truly gifted thespians to deliver some wonderful performances. Indeed to be sure this is a film which demands a degree of chemistry to exist between virtually all the characters in the piece, and this is one cast from the veteran players like Nicole Kidman and Kirsten Dunst to the new girls on the block like Angourie Rice and Oona Laurence that is able to deliver in aces. Now with that being said, it is definitely worth noting that, out of this cast, Colin Farrell is certainly given the lion’s share of the load to carry, but to be fair this is also because his character really does possess a distinct dynamic with each and every one of the women. To that end however, I definitely feel that every single relationship is not only fantastically fleshed out, but also drawn in a way that manages to elevate the stakes in this movie to dangerous heights especially as this film heads toward its brutal yet taut final act.
Now a lot like this director’s last film set during a specific time period known as Marie Antoinette, I definitely feel that just where exactly this film takes place also manages to really give the filmmaker a chance to have a unique and distinct feel to it. Suffice it to say then that this is a movie which is a true treat for the eyes. Indeed this is a film which chooses to really lend itself to a Southern Gothic-esque style that comes equipped with absolutely beautiful cinematography that is driven in equal measure by both shadow and natural light. Yet even with that, I still feel that every choice in regards to this movie’s creative side feels both elegant and prudent in equal measure from the stylish house where the majority of the narrative takes place to the stunning Southern Gothic motif with gorgeous shadow and natural light-fueled cinematography, but really, every aesthetic choice feels delicate and tactful — from the incredible estate where the bulk of the story unfolds, to the absolutely stunning and beautiful Civil War-era dresses that are worn by the women during their nightly suppers together. Indeed if the words “hauntingly beautiful” ever were to be found to be appropriate in a movie then this most assuredly would be the one.
All in all if you are among the people who might find yourself intrigued by this movie and might be willing to give it a chance then from me please do yourself one little favor. That favor would consist of not watching the main trailer for this film at any cost. This is because not only are there way too many spoilers found therein, but also because the trailer oddly contorts and distorts just what this film’s overarching atmosphere truly is. Also please, when watching this movie, know that this is a movie which fits more in line with a drama set during the Civil War than a psychosexual thriller along the lines of Fatal Attraction even if sections of the movie do go down that route. With all of that on the table however, if you are still wanting to watch this movie then you will find that The Beguiled truly is a gorgeous work of art that also serves as a terrific opportunity for some fantastic actors to show their skills to the fullest as well as proves to be a wonderful example in how to go about retooling a story that’s already been told once, and make it work again for a new audience. On a scale of 1-5 I give The Beguiled “2017” a 3.5 out of 5.
