I know a lot of people have a sort of love/hate relationship with Stephen Frears, but wherever you may rank such films as - Dangerous Liaisons, The Grifters, High Fidelity, The Snapper, Dirty Pretty Things, and many more, you've got to admit that at the very least the subject matter is going to be interesting. This holds true of the upcoming Tamara Drewe, based on Posy Simmonds' graphic novel.

With the currently much discussed Gemma Arterton (Clash of the Titans, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time) playing the titular role, the sex-infused, sleepy-town comedy brings to mind earlier Frears efforts as well as a plethora of U.K. small-town plays that hit their stride a decade or so ago - Waking Ned Devine and similar.

Obviously just the sort of thing that will get overlooked, I want to make sure to give you the opportunity to make a note.

Below check out a few clips (select among the videos with the playlist feature), and several images from the film.

Based on Posy Simmonds' beloved graphic novel of the same name (which was itself inspired by Thomas Hardy's classic Far From the Madding Crowd), this wittily modern take on the romantic English pastorale is a far cry from Hardy's Wessex.

Tamara Drewe's present-day English countryside-stocked with pompous writers, rich weekenders, bourgeois bohemians, a horny rock star, and a great many Buff Orpington chickens and Belted Galloway cows-is a much funnier place. When Tamara Drewe sashays back to the bucolic village of her youth, life for the locals is thrown tail over teakettle. Tamara-once an ugly duckling-has been transformed into a devastating beauty (with help from plastic surgery). As infatuations, jealousies, love affairs and career ambitions collide among the inhabitants of the neighboring farmsteads, Tamara sets a contemporary comedy of manners into play using the oldest magic in the book-sex appeal.

Directed by: Stephen Frears

Based on the graphic novel by: Posy Simmonds

Screenplay by: Moira Buffini

Cast: Gemma Arterton, Roger Allem, Bill Camp, Dominic Cooper, Luke Evans, Tamsin Greig

Official selection:

Cannes Int'l Film Festival 2010

Toronto Int'l Film Festival 2010

RU?

© 2010, Are You Screening?. All rights reserved. Reprinting without express permission of the author is prohibited.

The tawdry lives of the wealthy and more or less pointless is the sort of thing that people find it difficult to really fix a stance on. Most everyone, when push comes to shove, finds themselves on both sides of this fence. In some situations putting forward the idea that gossip is at least less than dignified, in others watching Entertainment Tonight (or whatever) anyway.

Cheri makes for a difficult time if we think too much about it, because it is basically just gossiping at you, and it takes place in a setting of gossip run wild. It's hard to know where the movie wants you to stand, and at times you find yourself feeling like the odd man out at a dinner party where you don't know anyone, constantly shifting to different spots in the room.

The story is that of Lea (Michelle Pfeiffer) who is more or less on her way out as one of the legendary courtesans of the early 20th Century in Paris. She finds herself living with Cheri, the 19 year-old son of one of her former rivals, Madame Peloux (Kathy Bates). The entire affair happens almost by accident, and before Lea is sure what's going on, it is suddenly six years later, and Cheri is still living with her.

Unfortunately, Madame Peloux has arranged a marriage for Cheri, and he goes along with it, almost purely from a sense of uncertainty. Isn't he supposed to get married to someone his age, as opposed to continuing on with an ex-prostitute twenty years his senior? It sounds so good on paper.

Cheri is the sort of film that plays out in a way that makes it hard to pin down how interested it even is in itself or what it is saying, much less insofar as what you are meant to take away. A love story of the oddest sort, focusing on people that are difficult to like, the movie somehow manages to tell an engaging story, almost while defying you to pay attention.

Directed by Stephen Frears, it isn't surprising that the movie relies on a lot of dialog, and witty banter is the main force at work. It occasionally goes wrong though, largely because it seems the actors are not particularly adroit at seriously intelligent conversation. Getting that snappy comeback out quickly is all well and good, but really clever people talking is not simply people talking as fast as they can.

On the other hand, the majority of what is best about French novelist Collete's book comes through, and the examination of the life and times is pretty thorough. Moreover, it is decidedly relevant.

Nominated for the Golden Bear at this year's Berlin International Film Festival, the film is most definitely worth attention.

Own it on DVD and Blu-Ray today!

Leave a comment below and include the word, "Win," and you are automatically entered to win your very own DVD copy. U.S. and Canada only. Winner will be randomly selected on Nov. 25th.

Update - some clips -

Trailer

Featurette: Courteseans (bonus)

Pearls (film)

Sentiment (film)

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• Chéri (cinemablend.com)

© 2009, Are You Screening?. All rights reserved. Reprinting without express permission of the author is prohibited.