Review: Tamara Drewe

When you think of comic book movies you immediatedly think superhero or more recently the geeky postmodernist Kick Ass or Scott Pilgrim. However your hardly ever picture the English countryside and a sexy central heroine with a penchant for small jean shorts. But that's exactly what Tamara Drewe is, adapted from Posy Simmonds' graphic novel it stars Gemma Arterton as the titular heroine a journalist who has returned to her small Dorset village. complete with a new nose. in order to sell her mother's house. While there Tamara has to deal with romantic complications with her ex Andy and also with Ben a rock drummer who she interviews and then ends up dating. Running parallel to this story is that of the local writer's retreat run by the comely Beth and her philandeirng mystery novelist husband Nicholas who also has a history with Tamara. To complicate matters further local girl Jody, who is Ben's biggest fan, sets out to sabotage Tamara's relationship with her idol and ropes in her best friend who is also Andy's niece to mess with Tamara. What follows is an utterly hilarious comedy of errors as people get the wrong end of the stick, have a lot of sex and at the end of the day there is kind of a happy ending.

I have to say I really enjoyed Tamara Drewe thanks mainly due to its comic tone. As it is adapted from a graphic novel the characters are very broadly drawn but that's part of the film's appeal. The whole film is also very clever as it weaves in literary references, thanks mainly to the writer's retreat, and in particular Thomas Hardy as one of the writers is composing a non-fiction work about Hardy. But personally I thought the whole thing had the tone of a Shakespearian comedy - the lovers forced together, the various obstacles they have to overcome and the two mischevious characters who are messing around with the other players' lives that only the audience are aware of. Gemma Arterton is perfectly fine in the lead role she asserts her sexuality when needs be and also displays a sort of melancholy about her past. As Arterton gives something for the males to look at I am also reliably informed that Luke Evans, who portrays the strapping Andy, is a 'bit of alright'. However the more compelling performances come from Tasmin Grieg and Roger Allam as Beth and Nicholas she is incredibly moving as the much cheated-on wife and he is hilarious as the philanderer. Dominic Cooper also gives a very good turn as the vain and bored rocker who has a very strange relationship wtih his dogThe two young actresses playing the girls are also brilliant giving the whole thing a lot of childish humour. Overall a funny, love story to the countryisde with some interesting performances and some nice shots of Dorset.