"Julia" (Zawe Ashton") isn't the brightest candle in the candelabra, and when she is taken to the opera by the highly eligible "Mr. Malcolm" (Sope Dirisu) quickly discovers he is less than impressed with her views on the "Corn Laws". Feeling jilted, matters are exacerbated when her friend "Lord Cassidy" (an almost unrecognisable Oliver Jackson Cohen) reveals that her erstwhile beau has a list of things he requires from his would-be wife. Infuriated, the two concoct a plan to hoist this arrogant man by his own petard. To that end, they draft in her rather naive friend "Selina" (Freida Pinto) who is enlisted to ensnare "Malcolm" whilst creating a list of their own to present to him at the end of this faux-courting process. Of course things don't quite go to plan. It happens that their mark and "Selena" do start to bond rather, "Julia" finds herself firmly in the sights of the decently dashing "Capt. Ossory" (Theo James) and as the bard said, "the best laid plans...." This is a fine looking drama, with the costumes and stately homes all doing their best, but the story is a sort of mix of "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" with some good old-fashioned Jane Austen-light. The characterisations are fairly weak - as is most of the acting, and the pretty thin story has an inevitability to it that underwhelms. Fans of Victorian period drama will probably enjoy it; it's not a bad film - but I reckon it will keep til television at Christmas. No need at all to see it at a cinema.
