[yasr_overall_rating]
Martin, an ex-Parisian well-heeled hipster passionate about Gustave Flaubert who settled into a Norman village as a baker, sees an English couple moving into a small farm nearby. Not only are the names of the new arrivals Gemma and Charles Bovery, but their behavior also seems to be inspired by Flaubert’s heroes.
Martin used to live a hip, bohemian lifestyle in Paris, but has now relocated, to a quiet village in Normandy where he works as a baker. What’s left of his youthful ambition is a vivid imagination and a passion for great literature, in particular the work of Gustave Flaubert. His interest is piqued when an English couple, with strangely familiar names, move into a neighboring farmhouse. Not only are his new neighbors named Gemma and Charles Bovery, but their behavior also seems to be reminiscent of the heroes from Flaubert’s novel. For the creative writer lying dormant within Martin, the opportunity to mold the destinies of flesh and blood characters – as he does everyday with his baking dough – is simply too good to pass up.
Posy Simmonds took the classic novel Madam Bovery and reinterpreted the story into “Gemma Bovery” as a graphic novel. The screenplay was written and directed by Anne Fontaine with co writer Pascal Boitzer. The story unfolds via the first-person narration of Martin Joubert (Fabrice Luchini), recently returned to his father’s village after a less-than-stellar Paris career in publishing. He’s taken over Dad’s bakery with his chatterbox wife, Valerie (Isabelle Candelier), and while kneading bread gives him a certain sensual satisfaction, he’s getting a little tired of small-town life. Then in walks Gemma Bovery (Gemma Arterton), an attractive Englishwoman with a wide smile who’s just moved with her furniture restorer husband Charlie (Jason Flemyng).
Those unfamiliar with how the literary character Emma Bovary ended up needn’t worry, since a prologue of sorts, helpfully related by Martin, starts after Gemma’s demise and then jumps back to her arrival, which electrifies the baker to such a degree that he practically stalks the woman. Since Charlie travels a fair amount, Gemma is becoming bored: Provincial Normandy has plenty of charm for a weekend, but this is full time, and for a young, beautiful Londoner with an occasionally absent husband, life lacks excitement. Thus begins Gemma’s infidelities and Martin’s imagination truly carrying him away.
I would like to say that “Gemma Bovery” was a fresh and brilliant interpretation on the literary classic it is built from. Unfortunately, the characters are written and acted far too flat to inspire much investment. They’re just cars on a slow moving train that’s trudging away to a familiar destination. All the while that I was watching this slightly comedic and tragic reinterpretation of “Madam Bovery,” I kept wishing the characters were as interesting and engaging as the gorgeous Normandy countryside where the film was shot. But then there’s Martin. It was interesting and fun to see where Martin’s imagination would take him, and what it might lead him to do but sadly, this just wasn’t enough Martin to keep the story consistently engaging for me.
Opens Friday, June 26th at the Angelika Dallas & Plano
