FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD

Set in Victorian England, this British romantic drama surrounds Bathsheba Everdene (Carey Mulligan), a headstrong and fiercely independent farm owner who attracts the affections of three very different men – a sheep farmer (Matthias Schoenaerts), a sergeant (Tom Sturridge) and a prosperous bachelor (Michael Sheen).

Adamant that she doesn’t need a husband, she impulsively marries and this sets off a chain of tragic events that changes all their lives.

Mulligan is perfectly cast as Bathsheba and works well with Schoenaerts who plays Gabriel, one of her love interests. The sexual chemistry between them is exuberant.

Beautifully photographed with exhilarating panoramic views of picturesque landscapes, this film is slightly tarnished by unrealistic and over the top storylines of romantic entanglements seemingly borrowed from daytime soap operas.

Incurable romantics should be captivated by this sweeping romantic tale and especially by the very predicable but satisfying conclusion.(MMo)

***1/2