On Chesil Beach

I never read the book, so I don't know how closely the film follows the source material, but it's clear that the second half of the film slowly starts to slip away from director Cooke. Some sappy epilogues and scattered drama tip the balance from romance to sentimental garbage. Quite unnecessary.

Edward and Florence are freshly married and are about to spend their first night together. Both are pretty nervous and reflect on how the two became an item. They are clearly very much in love with each other, but a troublesome first sexual experience is about to put some strain on their marriage.

The first half of the film is a prim and proper British romance, held together by the two leads. The drama that unfolds is pretty decent too, but the finale is just messy and sentimental. The music could've been a bit more subtle too, but I mostly felt bad for Ronan and Howle, who both deserved a better film.