Ammonite

The first word that comes to mind when reviewing Ammonite is implicit. The only other review (at the time of writing) laments the lack of explicit sex scenes. There's no need for them; this is an understated love story, not a porn film. The sex scenes are few in number, but shot with delicacy and restraint. In fact, very little of this movie is explicit. An awful lot is left to the imagination of the viewer. Back stories are hinted at, touched briefly upon and only once filled in. Even the ending is left to us to imagine. Implicit, rather than explicit, is the watchword for this movie. The performances of the four female leads are in the same vein. Subtly acted throughout; never overdone. A really beautiful movie.

Ferociously slow and meandering, lacking the passion and emotion of its contemporaries and a little too long for what it bestows, which is a rather bleak and salty tale of two lost and lonely women, one of which has had her flint removed and couldn't catch light if you dosed her in kerosene and dropped her into the sun. There's always, at least, a little optimism and expectation, hope perhaps, even in the most forlorn of our turbulent times, but seemingly not here.

I just wanna point out that the scenes with no dialogue are the one's that say a lot ... Kate Winslet masters the way she talks only with her eyes.

In 19th century England jaded, somber, self-made paleontologist Mary Anning spends her days alone on the coastline excavating fossils, until a well-off tourist entrusts his wife Charlotte Murchison (repressed, melancholy, and a shadow of her former self) into Mary's care. Though Mary initially views Charlotte as another unwelcomed guest, gradually the two strangers become close as their relationship intensifies. In a quiet, intimate, and moody story such as this where much goes unsaid, most of the emotion is conveyed through subtleties and body language, but fortunately the two lead actresses are up for the challenge and deliver strong, internalized performances--though at times it's frustrating to try and discern the real emotional depths and complications between their two characters. It's hard to truly determine the historical accuracy of what transpires on screen, plus it concludes on an ambiguous note, but Ronan is solid as usual, while Winslet is absolutely riveting. **½

The story of Mary Anning could have made an inspiring and interesting film, but sadly this is not it. Whilst Technically this film is superb - it gets the period detail and atmosphere just right, Kate Winslett is great as Anning and the cast otherwise are excellent, sadly Anning's real story is hardly developed, and instead we get a lesbian love story - for which there's no evidence , and which looks both out of place and unrealistic in the context of mid 19c England. A missed opportunity.