On Chesil Beach (2017)

Based on Ian McEwan's novel. In 1962 England, a young couple find their idyllic romance colliding with issues of sexual freedom and societal pressure, leading to an awkward and fateful wedding night.

Director:

Dominic Cooke

Writers:

Ian McEwan (screenplay), Ian McEwan (novel)

Stars:

Billy Howle, Saoirse Ronan, Andy Burse

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Billy Howle	...	Edward Mayhew
Saoirse Ronan	...	Florence Ponting
Andy Burse	...	Waiter One
Rasmus Hardiker	...	Waiter Two
Anne-Marie Duff	...	Marjorie Mayhew
Adrian Scarborough	...	Lionel Mayhew
Mia Burgess	...	Harriet Mayhew
Anna Burgess	...	Anne Mayhew
Emily Watson	...	Violet Ponting
Bebe Cave	...	Ruth Ponting
Samuel West	...	Geoffrey Ponting
John Ramm	...	Postman Terry
Barney Iley	...	Timothy
Mark Donald	...	Charles
Imogen Daines	...	Jenny

Storyline

Adapted by Ian McEwan from his bestselling novel, the drama centers on a young couple of drastically different backgrounds in the summer of 1962. Following the pair through their idyllic courtship, the film explores sex and the societal pressure that can accompany physical intimacy, leading to an awkward and fateful wedding night. The film stars Saoirse Ronan, Billy Howle, Anne-Marie Duff, Adrian Scarborough, Emily Watson, and Samuel West.

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Plot Keywords:

fear of intimacy | year 1962 | honeymoon | chamber music | newlyweds | 

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Taglines:

This is how the entire course of a life can be changed: by doing nothing

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Genres:

Drama | Music | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some sexual content and nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 May 2018 (USA)

Also Known As:

Al Khof Chesil

Filming Locations:

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$35,765, 20 May 2018, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$745,971

Company Credits

Production Co:

BBC Films, Number 9 Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

It is Dominic Cooke in his feature directorial debut.

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Goofs

In the tennis match between Edward and Florence's father (Geoffrey), they're either counting the games wrong or not alternating service properly. Edward begins serving at the start of the third set, so he should be serving when the game score is even. We immediately jump forward to a later game in which Geoffrey is serving. Geoffrey loses the game (for a change), and Edward announces the score as 1-4 before serving, which means he is now serving when the game score is odd.

It's also slightly off that Geoffrey starts serving the first set, and then Geoffrey begins serving the third set after 12 games. This, however, could simply be the result of Geoffrey letting Edward begin serving the third set, out-of-order and out of strict compliance with the rules, as a sop after beating him 6-0, 6-0 in the first two sets.

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Connections

Features A Taste of Honey (1961)

User Reviews

layered, profound and affecting

"On Chesil Beach" (R, 1:50) is a drama from first-time feature film director Dominic Cooke (known mainly for helming TV's "The Hallow Crown" and "National Theater Live: A Comedy of Errors"). The screenplay is by British writer Ian McEwan, adapting his own 2007 novella of the same name. The film stars multiple Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan and Billy Howle - and was released one week after another literary adaptation, "The Seagull", in which the same two actors played young Russian lovers. This story follows two young Brits as they meet, fall in love and get married, focusing mainly on the wedding night.

Florence Pointing and Edward Mayhew have just been married and have arrived at a hotel at the titular beach for their honeymoon. Through an uncomfortable dinner in their room and awkward fumblings with their clothes, it becomes painfully clear that they are equally inexperienced and nervous regarding sex. As the evening slowly progresses, we see flashbacks of how their romance developed, with hints at what makes the prospect of sleeping together so uncomfortable for them - especially Florence. When things come to a head, the young marrieds have a seaside conservation which reveals much about who they are (and the era in which they live) and has very important consequences for the rest of their lives.

"On Chesil Beach" is one of the most layered and most profound movies you are likely to see in 2018. Woven in with the development of the romance, the developments on the wedding night and the repercussions of all of it are themes of sexual repression, gender roles, class differences, pride, regret, communication, forgiveness and, of course, love and marriage. Some will say that not much happens in this film, but there is still a whole lot happenING. And through it all, the considerable acting chops of the two leads (bolstered by solid performances from multiple Oscar nominee Emily Watson, Anne-Marie Duff, Samuel West, Adrian Scarborough and Bebe Cave) make the characters exceedingly sympathetic and relevant. This is a very well-done film without much action, but with plenty to show all of us. "A-"