The Edge of Love

 

• Released Internationally on 20/06/08
• Released in Malta by KRS on 13/08/08

 

In a nutshell

Set during WW2, this British film covers a short but eventful period in the life of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, and two women who featured prominently.

Who’s in it?

Keira Knightley plays Vera Phillips, Thomas’ childhood sweetheart who bumps into him during the war. Sienna Miller plays the vibrant Caitlin MacNamara, Thomas’ wife, who gets along surprisingly well with Vera, despite their awkward love triangle. Matthew Rhys plays the poet in question, and the enigmatic Cillian Murphy (Batman’s Scarecrow) plays William Killick, the soldier who marries Vera and threatens to upset the balance of their little trio, with tragic consequences. John Maybury, who previously gave us the creepy The Jacket, directs. The script was written by a certain Sharman Macdonald, who just so happens to be Keira’s mum.

Keira

Whether she’s looking glamorous whilst singing in the shelters, or unkempt as she grapples with motherhood, Keira looks very much at home in these sort of period films. She has British written all over her, and here is very much in Atonement territory, rather than Caribbean territory. And speaking of Atonement, it’s hard not to be reminded of that gem from last year when Knightley is walking around in dinner dresses, meeting soldiers, and whispering ‘come back to me’ in men’s ears. Maybe it’s intentional.

Much ado about nothing?

Plot-wise, not much happens. The events and emotions which form the basis of the script could probably have been made into a much more involving piece of cinema, but here we plod through the proceedings at a dreary place, and when things finally come to the boil, I found that I didn’t know enough about the characters to really care what went wrong. Still, the film is a pleasant watch, but don’t expect it to have you holding your breath.

 

 

Trailer:

http://www.apple.com/trailers/independent/theedgeoflove/ (High-res QuickTime)