If you like romantic dramas in costume, Ammonite, available on OCS, is made for you. But beware: this romance between scientists Mary Anning and Charlotte Murchison will leave the platform this Saturday, March 18, 2023.
You dream of finding other films about a lesbian romance, since Portrait of the girl on fire ? So there is only one thing to do on this Thursday, March 16, 2023: watch Ammoniteon OCS.
This story, set in the 19th century, tells the love life of Mary Anning, an English scientist who was instrumental in the history of theories of evolution. But hurry: the film will no longer be available on the SVOD platform after this Saturday, March 18, 2023.
The film Ammonite on OCS, a slow romance between Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan
Two women who are opposites, the balmy air of the seaside, the landscapes of the 19th century, period dresses, a lesbian romance and even a final scene in a museum: no, you are not watching Portrait of the girl on fire but good Ammonitewith Kate Winslet (Titanic, Mare of Easttown) and Saoirse Ronan (The Daughters of Doctor March). And if you loved the first, then you’ll probably love the second, centered on the life of little-known paleontologist Mary Anning, and her encounter with geologist Charlotte Murchison.
But don’t expect a biography of the work of these outstanding scientists, who revolutionized the study of fossils. Also, don’t expect a historical depiction of the difficulty of being a lesbian in an extremely repressive and heteronormative society. Instead, imagine a long fictional tableau, featuring the budding romance between two women.
Lovers of romantic narratives, in period costumes, will necessarily find their happiness in front of Ammonite, which is especially worth the detour for the magnificent duo composed by Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan. Their alchemy is magnified by sublime images of the seaside, but also by scenes of feminine pleasure, rather rare in cinema, all the more directed by a man (here, Francis Lee). Between these two women, everything goes through looks and gestures, more than words, which are almost absent from the film.
Might as well warn you: you have to love slowness and naturalistic works with no major stake other than love to appreciate the melancholy carried by Ammonite. We can only regret that the film does not do more justice to the unjustly forgotten discoveries of Mary Anning. Ammonite has also been criticized for a long time for this pitfall when it was released, in particular for its historical inaccuracy. But if we try to put this disappointment aside, there is still a feature film of great romanticism, which does not really live up to its elders, but which has the merit of highlighting two talented actresses.
- Watch if you liked: Portrait of the girl on fire ; The Piano Lesson ; Look for the woman ; The Daughters of Doctor March
- Must see if you are looking for: lesbian romance; period costumes; life in the 19th century; amorous passion; sea side ; slowness; study of fossils; no violence ; admire beautiful plans
- Go your way if: you tend to fall asleep watching slow movies; you are looking for a story with great historical accuracy
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