With a title such as this, who could resist watching it? It's simply intriguing! And so, after a lovely, relaxing bath, of which I emerged smelling of lavender and ready to pile blankets upon myself and drink hot chocolate, I put this movie on, and settled down.
Let me first introduce the film, and then we will get into my review!
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may get paid or receive a commission if you purchase through my link.
Based on the best-selling novel, Lily James (Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, Cinderella, Baby Driver) plays free-spirited writer Juliet Ashton, who forms a life-changing bond with the eccentric Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society when she decides to write about the book club they formed during the occupation of Guernsey during WWII.
My Review!
Everything seems to be going smoothly for Juliet Ashton after the war. She is a successful writer, has an American boyfriend, and is looking into getting an apartment. However, coming into fame and money doesn't have a particularly positive effect on Juliet. She feels like a fraud, and doesn't want to spend her money. She would rather dress like everyone else and keep her belongings at the bare minimum instead of having useless things and impractical clothing.
When a letter arrives, from a man named Dawsey Adams, a pig farmer on Guernsey, saying that he found her name and address inside of a book he has, and asking her to locate a book for him, something seems to click. Through their correspondence, Juliet learns that Dawsey is part of a book club, formed during the German occupation of Guernsey, that it is called The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society, and that she would sorely like to go to one of their meetings.
So, she sends off the book Dawsey requested, and packs herself up to head to Guernsey, desperate to meet these people. The Times have asked her to write an article on reading, and here is a group of people who found that reading saved them when their situation seemed dire. But, when she arrives, she quickly learns that things are not quite as idyllic as she might have thought, that there are secrets, and an article in the Times is not at all what would be right for these people.
Reading can be a great escape, and for some people, like this book club, it is what saves them. I learned World War II history, but what I learnt never touched upon Guernsey. And from the outside, there is not too much to touch upon. It is a small island, and not as many people were affected as there were elsewhere. But, on the inside, they are still people, still human beings who suffered, survived, and are mostly here to tell the story. Just because somewhere else had more casualties, more lives affected, doesn't make the suffering of those on Guernsey any less valid, or any less real.
This movie is based on a book of the same name – I have not read the book, although I do now plan to. I decided to watch this movie solely because of the title, because, let's admit it, it is certainly intriguing. No wonder it sent Juliet to Guernsey. (I will admit, I am having great trouble spelling Guernsey. I keep wanting to spell it Gernsey, or some variation of that.)
Juliet is the kind of character I think you will either love or hate. She comes across as rather airy, if that is even a way to describe someone, and, not that I would be any different in her situation, she is incredibly nosy. She worms her way into other people's business, and sometimes even seems to grow upset that incredibly personal details haven't been shared with her. And yet, she also does everything she possibly can to help, and is incredibly kind hearted. She does seem to jump ahead of herself, though, and plan before she even has permission.
I did so love Dawsey, for he is a lovely man. Even though Juliet has a boyfriend, there is a sense of romance throughout the entire film of Juliet seemingly realising that she feels more at home among those without much money than around those with loads. It is not about a lifestyle, for her, but where she feels comfortable, and where she wants to spend her days. Plus, having a handsome farmer around can't do any harm.
I also loved Isola (although I can't for the life of me remember how to say her name) because she is so absolutely wonderful. Some may say she is slightly stoned throughout the entire movie, but considering she makes her own gin, I would not be surprised if she is, a little bit. She is really quite amusing at times, and the kind of person you just have to be friends with, because while she seems like a right laugh, she is also a great person, and a lovely friend to Juliet.
The history of this film has been dealt with well. By following the story of the book club after the war, we learn slowly of the histories of these people, learning alongside Juliet as little bits of information are revealed, and can slowly be slotted together until a full picture is laid out in our minds. You are not shown the full horrors, and they are not described in great detail, which leaves this as a film that is not very heavy, but when you look into the words, think about being one of these people, living in that situation, you really start to see the resilience. People put up with so much, bent themselves out of shape to fit the rules that were imposed upon them, and while there were those who refused to bend, and stubbornly stayed as they were, those who followed the rules were no less than those who didn't. Just think – those 'following' the rules and not causing trouble could be hiding a pig, and could make a roast dinner with a potato peel pie on the side, which may or may not lead to the formation of a book club. It's funny how these things work.
And done!
I am having issues with spelling right now... my brain spells out one thing and my fingers type another! It also doesn't help that my brain is spelling things wrong either.
That's all for now...
Bye!
No comments:
Post a Comment