Roger Michell directed this film. You might recall another film he did called Notting Hill with Julia Roberts. That was a work of art in my opinion. Now, let’s talk about My Cousin Rachel.
Here we have a story about a land baron who dies. His only adopted son believes his relatively new wife Rachel poisoned him but he has a hard time getting anyone to believe it. He spends a lot of time with Rachel and seeks to enact vengeance on her. Instead, her feminine wiles serve to make him fall in love with her. There is a mess in all this some might call it love. The end was a surprise to me but does wrap up the tale nicely.
They don’t give Rachel much to say or do in this film, which is a crying shame. Racel Weisz is a stone fox and a damn good actress. It seemed like she was subdued and below her potential. This story should have work the same way So I Married and Axe Murderer worked, through double ententes and metaphors about death. Unfortunately the director took a far more subtle approach to this tale. If you are a fan of the genre you might like it. I would recommend it as a background movie when you’re working on something else. Still, I can’t wait to see Rachel Weisz in something new!
6/10
My Cousin Rachel (2017)
PG-13 | 1h 46min | Drama, Mystery, Romance | 9 June 2017 (USA)A young Englishman plots revenge against his late cousin’s mysterious, beautiful wife, believing her responsible for his death. But his feelings become complicated as he finds himself falling under the beguiling spell of her charms.
Director: Roger Michell
Writers: Daphne Du Maurier (novel), Roger Michell (adaptation)
Stars: Rachel Weisz, Sam Claflin, Holliday Grainger
