Tamara Drewe
Adapted from Posy Simmonds fantastic graphic novel of the same name, the story is a reworking modern retelling of Thomas Hardy's Far From the Madding Crowd. The film differs slightly from the book, but its only to stop the film from being too sad. Tamara, with new nose, arrives back in the village she grew up in as a teenager. She captures the eye of an old flame, a creepy older famous novelist and meets a famous drummer from a band, all while being spied upon by two local girls who hate and adore her at the same time. Amusing and serious when it needs to be, the lesson learnt here is that all writers are damaged...something to think on there.
Irma La Dolce
A Billy Wilder film that reunites the wonderful Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine. Set in Paris, she is the Irma of the story, a prostitute and he is a honest policeman who ends up beinf framed for bribary and fired. He then ends up moving in with Irma after he defends her against her pimp and becomes her pimp instead. But he's in love with Irma so he ends up working the early hours at a marker and pretends to be a wealthy customer to stop her from working as a prostitute. It seems complicated by despite the seedy-ness its a really sweet romantic comedy.
Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day
Rare for me to pick all romantic comedies, but here it is. On top form as ever Frances McDormand is the Miss Pettigrew of the story. After being cruely fired as a nanny, she ends up on the soup line in 1930s London. By accident she takes a job as a social secretary to a naive young woman, who also is trying to be someone she isn't, American singer-actress Delysia Lafosse. She is in love with talented musican, (played by Lee Pace so wouldn't be!) under the thumb of nasty club owner Mark Strong and trying to seduce a young silly theatre producer into giving her a lead role. But Miss Pettigrew not only literally lives for a day, she also helps others out along the way, especially Delysia. Amy Adams and McDormand make a splendid duo and not to mention the beyound amazing costumes. Its a surprisingly delightful film.
