Sam Clafin plays a young Englishman whose guardian marries a woman in Italy (yes, Rachel Weisz plays Rachel). Since the guardian dies soon after, he sets out to seek revenge, only to fall under her spell. The story is mostly obvious, so what matters is watching the dynamics of their relationship unfold. This happens, but with less energy than needed. The performers are respectable and the period trappings help create attractive images. Despite the story’s ambiguity and the impassioned performances, the overall effect is rather distant and not at all emotionally involving.
(3 / 5)