Katherine, young woman bought for marriage to an older man begins a passionate affair with an estate worker...
With the bleak moors and landscapes, a setting somewhere in 19th century England, you would be forgiven for thinking this film was based on a novel by the Bronte sisters. However, it's actually based on a Russian novel called Lady Macbeth Of Mtsensk by Nikolai Leskov. I can't say how accurate this film version is in relation to book, but the screenplay by Alice Birch. is a good one. The story, of a young bride who plots a way out of her loveless marriage is very good indeed.
It helps that the film has a powerful performance at its heart. Florence Pugh is an actress who I haven't seen before (I've yet to catch up with The Falling), but she is very good indeed in a performance that might just make her a star. At times scheming, passionate, murderous in a lesser actor's hands, there might have been the tempatation to make Katherine an over the top caricature, especially towards the end, but instead, Pugh reins the performance in, instead hiding it behind a facade. It's a wonderful performance.
The supporting cast, including Christopher Fairbank, Cosmo Jarvis, Naomi Ackie are all very good indeed. The design of the film is good as is the cinematography. The music is suitably atmospheric and the direction from William Oldroyd making his debut as director is impressive, keeping the film gripping and tense as Katherine plots to break out the trapped life she has.
It's a slow burning film, but one that keeps you gripped throughout. It's a powerful film with an ending that fits the story perfectly.
With it's subject matter and setting, Lady Macbeth might get lost in the mix as the big summer film crash into cinemas all around it. I hope not, as it will be a better film than most of them and is one of the best films I've seen so far this year.
Highly recommended.
Rating - 5/5
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