BRIDESHAED REVISITED is typical British drama given the sophisticated touch of high society.  The story centres on a poor but educated Paddington painter, Charles Ryder (Matthew Goode, who held his own despite an underwritten role in the lesbian comedy IMAGINE ME AND YOU) who enters the household of the noble Marchmain family led by matriarch, Lady Marchmain (Oscar winner Emma Thompson).  Charles has a short fling with son, Sebastian (Ben Whishaw last seen in I’M NOT THERE) before falling in love with Julia (Hayley Atwell).  Bur Lady Marchmain makes sure Charles is totally pushed out of her family’s circle till he returns to Brideshead.

Director Jarrold was most likely chosen for his last film, the period piece BECOMING JANE about Jane Austen rather than for his film prior KINKY BOOTS.  BRIDESHEAD REVISITED is meticulous in look from the grand sets, costumes and props and very well performed from the likes of Goode, Atwell and Thompson.  The confrontation scene between Lady Marchmain and Charles (Thompson and Goode) is the film’s best part.  Apart from the above, Jarrold’s film plods along terribly slowly at a snail’s pace.  But the audience is enlivened a few times with well-written often humorous dialogue by Jeremy Brock (THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND) and Andrew Davies (BRIDGET JONES’S DIARY).

Running at a length of slightly over 2 hours, BRIDESHEAD REVISITED eventually comes out rather flat compared to last year’s excellent ATONEMENT which had a similar theme of lost love and regret.