DVD Review: The Bookshop

The Bookshop
[DVD Bookshop]

I’m a sucker for almost any story set in a quaint old bookstore or library, so this film caught my eye in the libraries’ DVD collection.

Emily Mortimer plays Florence Green, a young-ish widow who takes a chance to fulfill a life-long dream by setting up a small bookshop in an English coastal town. In the process, she incurs the ire of a local wealthy townswoman, Violet Gamart (played by Patricia Clarkson), who had been eyeing the property where the bookstore is for an arts center that is a passion project for her. On the other hand, Florence’s efforts cause her to be admired and supported by a local eccentric, Edmund Brundish (played by Bill Nighy), and she also gains the friendship of a local girl, Christine (played by Honor Kneafsey), who comes to work in the store after school.

This is a quiet little film, beautifully shot, which has moments of increasing intensity. The performances are all understated but still impressive. Bill Nighy is especially charming as the eccentric reader Mr. Brundish, who is driven to abandon his isolation in order to support Florence’s dream. And Honor, as Christine, is a stunning young actress.

I’ll have to admit that I had not read the novel by Penelope Fitzgerald on which this film is based, so I had no idea where the plot was going. In the end, while I did enjoy the film, I was somewhat unsatisfied with the ending, which drops my overall rating for the film by a few points. But it is definitely worth watching for the excellent performances and beautiful views of English seaside life.

[Also available in traditional print format.] [ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ] | [ official The Bookshop web site ]

Recommended by Scott C.
Bennett Martin Public Library

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