Movie OverviewThe 2008 film adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's classic novel, "Brideshead Revisited", is set against the splendid English nation home, Brideshead, and the crypto-Catholic upper class who reside within it. It is directed by Julian Jarrold and elegantly revisits Waugh's styles of faith, familial commitment, love, and the decline of the British upper class, framed against the background of the mid-twentieth century.
Plot Summary"Brideshead Revisited" follows the intricate relationships between the members of the Marchmain household, as translucented the eyes of Charles Ryder, a middle-class hopeful artist. After satisfying the provocative Sebastian Flyte at Oxford University, Charles is introduced to Brideshead and its residents. Charles soon becomes drawn into the lives of the family, forming a deep bond with Sebastian, and a complicated romantic relationship with his sister, Lady Julia Flyte.
During his stay at Brideshead, Charles comes to grips with the second-class status he withstands as a visitor within the confines of services such as late-night drinking with Sebastian, and the drawing-room tea. The movie showcases the high social and spiritual costs of the Marchmains way of life, in addition to the allure and the destruction it wreaks on those who enter their orbit. The household's adherence to their Catholic faith likewise postures significant challenges, particularly for Charles, who is an agnostic.
Character AnalysisCharles (Matthew Goode) shows his progressing mindsets towards opportunity, religion, and love throughout the movie. At first, he is fascinated by the sophisticated and seemingly carefree way of life of Sebastian (Ben Whishaw) and the Marchmain family. Nevertheless, as he continues to involve himself with them, Charles deals with the moral and emotional implications of their way of life.
Sebastian is a lovely, yet deeply distressed character pestered by his family's rigorous Catholic beliefs, alcohol addiction, and unrequited love for Charles. Girl Julia (Hayley Atwell), with whom Charles later on establishes a romantic connection, has problem with her religious childhood and her own desires. She tries to free herself from the stifling confines of her family's expectations through her affair with Charles.
Styles and Conclusion"Brideshead Revisited" delves into themes of love, faith, class, and the passage of time. It elegantly portrays the contradictions and predicaments of the characters' lives in a society governed by stringent social hierarchies and religious concepts. It checks out the deeply embedded British upper-class culture, with its seeming improvement and underlying repression.
The film ends on a rather somber note, highlighting disillusionment and remorse over the lovely yet damaging impact Brideshead has actually had on Charles and the Marchmain brother or sisters. Even as World War II looms, marking completion of an era, the Marchmain household continues to be ruled by their stiff faiths, causing tragic, heart-wrenching results for all involved.
In conclusion, the 2008 movie "Brideshead Revisited" provides a poignant view into a world captured by tradition, religious beliefs, and personal disillusionment. It is an expedition of upper-class British society seen through the gaze of an outsider who becomes entranced, entangled, and eventually disappointed by its allure. With its striking efficiencies and attractive cinematography, it works as a compelling re-examination of Waugh's masterpiece.
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