Effie Gray

Parental Rating: PG-13

Contains: Nudity    Adult Content    

Jill's Review

Opens April 3, 2015

Runs 108 minutes

This movie is based on the true story of Euphemia "Effie" Gray (Dakota Fanning) and her loveless marriage to Victorian art Critic and author John Ruskin (Greg Wise). Effie marries John at age 19 and sees him as a smart and attentive man. She envisions a happy home and children. Once they are married however, he moves her into his home which he also shares with his domineering parents. They are cold and overbearing, scarcely recognizing that Effie is now John's wife. They only care about his success and place in society. And, he refuses to consummate their marriage which causes Effie heartbreak and sorrow. Eventually, she is drawn to a young painter, John Everett Millais (Tom Sturridge). But, there is no way to act on her feelings because she is a married woman. She befriends Lady Eastlake (Emma Thompson) who gives her the courage to stand up to John and defy the rules of polite Victorian society. Effie eventually becomes her own woman.

This isn't a bad movie, it is just fairly dull. Emma Thompson provides the only ray of sunshine and humor in the whole film. The rest of the cast is great, it's just a very slow moving film. You definitely felt sorry for Effie. She was constrained by what society expected of her and she had nowhere to turn. There is one scene near the end of the film that I loved. John gets what he deserves in the end. But, it took the whole movie to get there. From the perspective of a historical, costume drama, the movie was intriguing and true to the times. If that is something that interests you, then you might like this. Otherwise, you can probably sit this one out.

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