The story of the tragic relationship between the son of a property developer and the daughter of an auto rickshaw owner.
Some of Hardy’s themes have a real resonance in this Indian setting, notably the clash between tradition and modernity, and the sexual double-standards by which Tess herself so painfully suffers, yet the film ultimately lacks the requisite emotional force.
The ever-versatile Winterbottom's loose and limber adaptation doesn't entirely mesh with Hardy's more formal narrative, leaving this feeling disjointed and underpowered. Nevertheless, there's still plenty to enjoy in the director's customary flourishes.
It’s absorbing, but both leads are out of their depth when the film moves on to darker themes.
Some will balk at Pinto’s passivity, but Trishna again shows Winterbottom to be one of the few directors today who are liberated, rather than constricted, by classic literature.
Those who know the story won’t be surprised at the trajectory things take; those who don’t may find Trishna too passive to fully engage with the film. But there is a real vibrancy to this telling of the story that makes the effort worthwhile.
Where Winterbottom takes us next is anyone’s guess. We’re slowly losing interest, though.
Both Pinto and Ahmed are on fine form, and share a humid chemistry that gets increasingly clammy as the film progresses, but Winterbottom’s air-conditioned direction prevents us from ever feeling the heat.
The story is rather shapeless, with little dramatic traction: it feels as if it could end at the one-hour mark or go on for another four.
We're a long way from Wessex but the transplanting of the tragic Hardy novel is surprisingly effective.
Pinto gives one of her best performances as the naive, vulnerable Trishna but Ahmed is the real revelation here, investing Jay with a dashing, sexy charm that easily conveys why he is so irresistible and makes his behaviour feel as much a betrayal of the viewer as it does of Trishna’s wholehearted belief in him.
Insufficiently Hardy.
The performances are strong, the scenery gorgeous and the story told with enough subtlety to make us fall in love with the drama all over again.
Winterbottom's striking film retains the cruel sting of Hardy's plotting, but the improvised banter and the fly-on-the-wall footage of India's factories, beaches and dance classes give it a buzzing vibrancy you wouldn't find in a bonnets-and-breeches piece.
Compact, highly enjoyable.
Attractive, but slightly frail.
Gorgeously shot but uneven.
Freida Pinto on being Tess
General release. Check local listings for show times.
RSS feed of Cinema reviews