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A visit that is truly worth repeating

I went to see Brideshead Revisited untainted because I had never seen any other productions of it in any form, whether book, film, play, or as part of an Eskimo mime extravaganza. I'm sure that many others who see this latest version will inevitably compare it to their previous experiences with it. How it compares, I have not a clue. What I do know is that "Brideshead Revisited" is based on the grand and epic novel by Evelyn Waugh, originally published in 1945. That is where my pre-existing knowledge ends.

The setting is England, in between the two world wars. Charles Ryder (Matthew Goode) is a young man of modest means who is off to his first year of university. Many of his fellow students have come here from a place much higher in the pecking order of wealth and "breeding". Through a chance encounter he is absorbed into a group of young men who are very well to do and flamboyantly homosexual. Despite his not fitting in on either account he enjoys being with them. The leader of the band is Lord Sebastian Flyte (Ben Whishaw), the son of a very aristocratic family. Sebastian is obviously quite taken with Charles and invites him back to his family's home, Brideshead. The house makes Buckingham Palace look like a shanty.

Sebastian likes very few things. His favorite is alcohol. His second favorite is becoming Charles. For a short while it appears that Charles may be inclined to be quite happy to let his life head off in this direction. Enter Sebastian's sister, Julia (Hayley Atwell). Charles prefers Julia to her brother but because of the situation, there is no realistic future here or so it would seem.

When we first meet Charles it is during WWII, with the story unfolding mostly in flashback mode. Charles is a budding artist sensation who has just returned from a two year trip through jungles and he is now showing the paintings of his excursions. Everything is revealed by Charles as narrator to how he has arrived at his current lofty position in life.

The first half of "Brideshead Revisited" rolls briskly along with lots of quiet, absurdly funny moments, fueled primarily by Sebastian. Whishaw is marvelous as the vulnerable, blustery, alcoholic teen who brilliantly walks a tightrope. One false step in any direction and his character could easily be despised as a self-centered and terminally annoying little spoiled brat, but Whishaw manages to pull off that balancing act so that we don't like him while, at the same time, feel for him.

It is only when his mother, Lady Marchmain (Emma Thompson) finally arrives at Brideshead that we understand what has created the broken Sebastian. She is a devout Catholic to the nth degree, to a point where it has partially crippled both Sebastian and Julia. Lady Marchmain is not a bad person. In fact, she is a very good person. Her character proves that just being good isn't always enough. Her need to follow the straight and narrow suffocates everyone, including herself. Thompson, as usual, is wonderful.

Julian Jarrold directs and he will have no problems finding work after this. Schooled mostly on the television side, I suspect his future will be a long and successful career on the big screen. I can't find any fault in his work. It is pitch perfect, much like everything else about "Brideshead Revisited".

The cinematography is piloted by Jess Hall and to say that he has done a magnificent job would almost be an understatement. Every shot is meticulously laid out to a point where it feels like touring a gallery of great art. An Oscar nomination is definitely on the horizon. The only negative as far as look might be that everything is spotless and shined to a high sparkle, even the trains and sidewalks, but it does enhance the overall look and feel so I forgive.

In case you haven't figured it out yet, I was totally bowled over by Brideshead Revisited. That it succeeded in the arena of romantic drama, perhaps my least favorite genre, makes it all the more special. As of this date, it is hands down the best film of 2008, in my opinion. I'm predicting Oscar nominations across the board.