Kate Winslet plays a sullen fossil hunter on the cloudy coast of 1840s Lyme, England. Saoirse Ronan is the young woman who comes to the sea for convalescence. After a halting start, their relationship becomes intense and somewhat explicit for an art film. Winslet maintains a dour demeanor throughout (hardened like the rocks she studies), while Ronan manages to evolve her character. Pensive shots of shells and bugs are peppered throughout the deliberately-paced drama. While there’s potential for period beauty and passion, there would have been more opportunity for emotional effect if the pacing wasn’t so introspective.
(2.5 / 5)