Parents' Guide to Tamara Drewe

There are moments of charm and interest in this adaptation of Posy Simmonds' 2007 graphic novel, but it never quite seems to establish its tone and the plot falls flat as a result. As the central character in Tamara Drewe, Arterton does what she can with a flimsy role that seems to ask little more of her than to look attractive. Though there are bursts of strength and wisdom, they're fleeting and almost immediately undermined by the men she aligns herself with. The film never quite gets a handle on her character, and instead of her contradictions of confident, seductive, needy, and clueless making her complex, they leave her feeling underdeveloped and undefined. Jessica Barden's Jody unintentionally steals the show as a teen besotted with Tamara's musician boyfriend. She pulls the strings in the background, a chaotic plan and cutting comment never far from hand, and the energy between her and her friend Casey makes up for a lack of chemistry elsewhere. Tamsin Greig, as Nicholas's long-suffering wife, is the other person who pulls focus—her story feeling the most believable of the lot. One of the most enjoyable parts is watching Nicholas get his comeuppance, and Allam plays the boastful bore to a tee. But the wider ending doesn't feel earned, leaving this as more of a gentle countryside romp to be enjoyed from afar, without too much thought or expectation.