SUMMERLAND

For some, there will be moments of 'Summerland' that feel either incredibly well-worn or overly sentimental, a side effect of the British historical drama subgenre 'Summerland' neatly fits into. However, it's in the narrative shift that occurs roughly halfway through that makes 'Summerland' special, even if shots from the film could fit into the visual style of almost any other film like it. An offscreen death alters the course of the story as it becomes a meditation on the loss of love and how the grief it causes gives us two options; to shut it and the world out, or to let it in for the good of others, however painful that may be.

Gemma Arterton is fantastic as Alice, playing the script's more cliché moments with an authenticity that lets them land. A key component of 'Summerland' is the relationship between Frank and Alice, and despite the rocky beginnings, they are lovely to watch together and are one of my favourite onscreen character pairings of 2020. It's also difficult to not spend this entire review singing the praises of Gugu Mbatha-Raw ('Misbehaviour'), who continues to impress no matter what role she tackles or how much screen time she has. Without giving too much away, Mbatha-Raw's character is to blame for Alice's emotional baggage. Her chemistry with Arterton is magnetic and authentic, making Alice's pain all the more heartbreaking.

'Summerland' goes beyond its often-tired narrative beats to deliver a moving story about love, loss and belonging. Its masterstroke, however, is in how it manages to take its devastating subject matter and present it in a mostly jaunty way. Bring some tissues and an iced tea, and you've got the perfect film to escape from the summer heat with.