Gemma Bovery
Director: Anne Fontaine
Stars: Fabrice Luchini, Gemma Arterton, Jason Flemyng
Duration: 99 mins
Class: 15
Eden Cinemas Release

Life perks up considerably for French baker Martin Joubert (Fabrice Luchini) when Englishwoman Gemma Bovery (Gemma Arterton) and her husband Charles (Jason Flemyng) move into his home village – the same village where author Gustave Flaubert set his seminal novel Madame Bovary.

That Gemma’s name is strongly resonant of the book’s titular character stirs much excitement in Joubert as he befriends Gemma and soon begins to see in her parallels with the doomed literary heroine.

There are the ingredients of a good film here, and it is certainly a captivating premise. It is based on a graphic novel by Posy Simmonds, with a storyline and characters that cleverly mirror the classic Emma Bovary story, bringing it to 21st-century audiences. Yet, its shifting tones between comedy and drama do not quite work; while the assorted moments of pathos and humour that pepper the narrative never really come together to form a cohesive whole, leading up to an ending which is supposed to add a dramatic twist, but seems rather hackneyed.

Moreover, the underlying plot takes its time to kick in, with much aimless wandering in between. Save for the titular Gemma, the characters for the most part are a little flat. And, crucially, the relationships between her and the myriad men in her life, which are supposed to reflect her disquiet, never quite convince.

Oodles of charm which does not quite translate to the film itself

It is a role that fits Arterton to a tee and she proves a rather radiant Gemma, injecting some depth and meaning into the character. She embodies the fickle, bored, curious main character well enough to overcome the script’s weaknesses. So intent is the story on pushing its main narrative device of drawing endless parallels between Gemma and Flaubert’s Emma – while making her an object of desire for Martin’s fervent imaginings – that it neglects to give her much of a personality of her own.

Luchini’s Joubert, who also serves as the film’s narrator, starts off as a rather interesting character as, after something tragic has clearly taken place, he looks back at the Boverys’ sojourn in his village, taking us through the tale from the date of their arrival.

His curiosity is soon piqued. Yet, as his obsession with Gemma becomes more and more unhealthy, his stalking behaviour quickly moves beyond being comic to downright unpleasant and, while his narrative has moments of creative flair – when observing the flirtatious behaviour between Gemma and playboy Hervé (Niels Schneider) he imagines himself as a film director – there is something a bit off about him and the humour misses its mark.

Things get a little more complicated for Gemma – yet, not necessarily more interesting – when her smarmy ex-boyfriend turns up from London, while her flirtatious relationship with a local playboy lacks passion and conviction.

Hovering around anxiously is Charles and, ironically, while he is characterised as rather dull and the main reason for Gemma’s ennui, the scenes between the two have the spark that is missing from Gemma’s other relationships, thanks also to Flemyng’s sympathetic portrayal.

Isabelle Candelier gets some choice lines as Valérie, Martin’s exasperated wife.

I cannot fault the picturesque French countryside that serves as a backdrop for this movie. The scenery has oodles of charm, which does not quite translate to the film itself.

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