By Emilio Frenk.
Director: Roger Michell
Cast: Rachel Weisz, Sam Claflin, Holliday Grainger, Iain Glen, Poppy Lee Friar, Andrew Knott, Andrew Havill and Tristram Davies.
Rating: Very Good.
Roger Michell, director of “Notting Hill” and “Venus” brings “My Cousin Rachel”, a drama, mystery thriller that delivers interesting results.
Based on the novel by Daphne Du Maurier, the movie tells the story of Phillip (Sam Claflin) a young Englishman who finds out that his cousin has passed away under mysterious circumstances.
Now he is planning a revenge against the wife of her cousin Rachel Ashley (Rachel Weisz) who he hasn´t met and claims that she is responsible for his cousin´s death.
They both will meet eventually and he will be seduced by her charm, which will eventually lead for Phillip to fall for her and eventually leading him to an obsession. Now Phillip will have to maintain his sanity before it´s too late.
Roger Michell directed very good performances by Rachel Weisz and Sam Claflin in “My Cousin Rachel”.
The screenplay also written by Michell, which he adapt from the novel it was a good one but one of the things that I wanted to see is to open the movie which who is supposed to be the main protagonist, in this case Rachel.
We see her character in the beginning of the second act and I believe that is important to open you film with you main character at all times.
If this element would have been fixed, I believe the movie could have had a better result but still it was very satisfying.
The movie was beautifully shot by Mike Eley. He captured with his cinematography the country side of an English town and also played very well with the contrasts with both the characters of Rachel and Phillip when they were together and separated.
“My Cousin Rachel” I would put it as one of the most challenging films of Roger Michell´s career due to the theme that it was involved, the amount of dialogue that involved in the screenplay and the fact that is a period piece.
The Production Design and Costume were very well made and we might see a potential nomination for next year´s awards but I´m aware that is very early to mention that but still I believe that has good chances.
The score by Rael Jones was very good. I love the way how he used music in the most touching and tense scenes of the film which were at the end of the second act of the film and I was very blown away for the use of the same.
“My Cousin Rachel” is a very well directed and acted movie and for those who are fans of Rachel Weisz I guarantee you that you will not be disappointed by her performance in this film and neither from Sam Claflin´s.