Rupert Everett has a great time here as Lord Goring. He has the best lines and gets to deliver them with sharp humour, a raised eyebrow and a hint of viciousness.
Minnie Driver is great too, bringing a streak of passion and eccentricity to her role as Mabel.
But overseas stars Cate Blanchett and Julianne Moore are miscast. Neither manages to capture the right tone. Blanchett ends up being rather dull, and Moore seems to be concentrating more on the accent (a 9/10 effort) than the underlying villainy of Mrs Cheveley (a 3/10 effort).
Aside from the performances, it simply isn't a good enough story (or at least, not well enough told). The political intrigue is simply dull, and the romantic misunderstandings are so fleeting that they are easy to miss.
A very average production overall.
Minnie Driver is great too, bringing a streak of passion and eccentricity to her role as Mabel.
But overseas stars Cate Blanchett and Julianne Moore are miscast. Neither manages to capture the right tone. Blanchett ends up being rather dull, and Moore seems to be concentrating more on the accent (a 9/10 effort) than the underlying villainy of Mrs Cheveley (a 3/10 effort).
Aside from the performances, it simply isn't a good enough story (or at least, not well enough told). The political intrigue is simply dull, and the romantic misunderstandings are so fleeting that they are easy to miss.
A very average production overall.
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