Far From the Madding Crowd

Parental Rating: PG-13

Contains: Violence    

Jill's Review

Opens May 8, 2015

Runs 119 minutes

Bathsheba Everdene (Carey Mulligan) is a young woman whose parents died when she was a child. She is educated but has no real prospects in 1870, far from London. She is spending the summer working on her Aunt's farm. She meets the young Shepherd, Gabriel Oak (Matthias Schoenaerts) who owns the neighboring farm. Soon he asks for her hand in marriage, but she doesn't feel like settling down. Before you know it, her circumstances have changed and she has inherited her uncle's farm, a once beautiful and thriving farm that has fallen on hard times. She is determined to work hard and turn it back into the finest farm around. Meanwhile, Gabriel has fallen on hard times and is soon in the employ of Bathsheba. He still has feelings for her, but he keeps to himself, does a good job and watches over her. Her neighbor, William Boldwood (Michael Sheen) proposes that they merge their farms in marriage. Bathsheba is not really keen on this idea either. Then she meets a dashing soldier, Francis Troy (Tom Sturridge) with a broken heart. She falls for his uniform and his grin. It doesn't take long to realize her impulsive mistake. Will she ever realize that what she really wants has been by her side all along?

This is a period piece/costume drama but it feels modern because Bathsheba is an unusual woman for her time. I never read this book, so I didn't know the story. I loved it. I thought it was gorgeously filmed and very romantic. There were several twists that really kept your interest. But, I really just wanted Bathsheba to be happy. Everyone was great in this film, especially Carey Mulligan. Overall, I thought it was a well made movie of a really great story. Highly recommend this as something to offset the action and superhero movies that are about to overtake the summer theatres. Go see it!!

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