Tamara Drewe (2010)

Directed by: Stephen Frears | 111 minutes | comedy | Actors: Gemma Arterton, Roger Allam, Bill Camp, Dominic Cooper, Luke Evans, Tamsin Greig, Jessica Barden, Charlotte Christie, James Naughtie, John Bett, Josie Taylor, Bronagh Gallagher, Pippa Haywood, Susan Wooldridge, Amanda Lawrence, Zahra Ahmadi, Cheryl Campbell, Alex Kelly, Emily Bruni, Lola Frears, Tom Allen, Patricia Quinn, Walter Hall, Joel Fry, Lois Winstone, Nathan Cooper, Albert Clark

For the ignorant

The comedy feature film ‘Tamara Drewe’ is based on the comic book novel of the same name by Posy Simmonds. That strip, in turn, is a loose adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s novel Far from the Madding Crowd. ‘Tamara Drewe’ tells the story of a young journalist who returns to her home village and there drives the male population to hell. It is especially hard for the residents of the Stonefield estate, writers in various stages of failure. But when Tamara drags a famous drummer to the village, two local teenage girls go on a rampage.

For the comic book lover

Lovers of the strip ‘Tamara Drewe’ will be pleased that the screenwriters have left the original material intact as much as possible. We see the beloved bus shelter of teenagers Jody and Casey, the peaceful cows in the meadow, the rural writers’ colony, the beautiful old house of Tamara. The tempo is just as slow as in the comic, the tone just as phlegmatic. The few changes are mostly improvements. Writer’s wife Beth Hardiment is less grumpy than in the comic, and therefore more sympathetic. The American Hardy connoisseur Glen gets a bigger role as opponent of the insufferable Nicholas Hardiment. The only major plot change brings dramatic balance where the comic gets slightly out of balance.

For the English movie lover

Film buffs will be pleased that veteran Stephen Frears has taken care of ‘Tamara Drewe’. Frears is always on a roll when his films are decidedly English (‘The Queen’, ‘High Fidelity’), and you don’t get much more English than ‘Tamara Drewe’. Humour, location (Dorset) and the problems of a class society breathe centuries of British traditions. Frears has also gathered an excellent cast. Gemma Arterton plays Tamara as we know her from the comic, a stunning girl who still bears the marks of an insecure teenager. There are also strong roles for Roger Allam, Tamsin Greig, and debutante Jessica Barden as the slightly disturbing adolescent Jody.

For the lover of uncomplicated entertainment

‘Tamara Drewe’ is English entertainment at its finest. A satire with a slightly feminist slant, full of colorful characters, bizarre experiences and unlikely romances. A film that shows craftsmanship in every way, from the strong script of Moira Buffini to the fine music of Alexandre Desplat.

For the lover of elegant noses

Must see!