Film Review – Madame Bovary

Gustave Flaubert’s 1857 novel “Madame Bovary” has been adapted for the stage and screen numerous times, with its tale of temptation and tragedy making a easy fit for dramatic interpretation, often gifting the lead actress a meaty role in an unusually itchy period piece. Director Sophie Barthes (“Cold Souls”) has plenty of insecurity to explore in her feature, but surprisingly little emotion sticks to the screen as intended. Instead, “Madame Bovary” is sumptuously crafted, highly detailed and lived-in, making it a visual event instead a poignant inspection of a lost soul. It’s incredible to look at, but once it steps away from pure cinematic storytelling, the latest round of tightly-corseted depressive desperation dissolves on impact. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com