A naive young woman unexpectedly grabs the heart of a widower. Their whirlwind romance is cut short when they arrive at his mansion that has traces of his late wife scattered in every room.
A wealthy widower, Maxim de Winter (Armie Hammer), sweeps a young woman (Lily James) off her feet and gives her a what would seem to be a dream life. When they arrive at his estate, she finds herself fighting the ghost of his late wife, who’s kept alive by the sinister housekeeper Mrs. Danvers (Kristin Scott Thomas).
This twenty-twenty update may be a shot for shot replica of the 1940 Hitchcock classic, but it lacks the original’s mysterious whimsy.
The romance in this movie is its redeeming quality. You can feel the chemistry right away between Lily James and Armie Hammer. That being said, there wasn’t enough of it. As soon as they arrive at the estate, the romance fizzles, and there is an instant disconnect between the two characters. I believe this was supposed to add to Rebecca’s mystery, but instead, it was just, for the lack of a better word, weird.
Rebecca is supposed to be a physiological thriller disguised as a romance, but nothing was thrilling about it. The first and second act of the film is a very long and slow setup. And the third is a rollercoaster ride.
Rebecca did have gorgeous locations and beautiful cinematography, but it was obvious there was a low budget. The Mansion didn’t seem as grand as it’s described in the beginning. Furthermore, the film’s big event, the masquerade ball, isn’t the magnificent spectacle you may have been hoping for.
The one thing that really took me out of the film was the soundtrack. The songs felt out of place, and it was missing a thrilling score.
In conclusion, the romance in Rebecca was well done, but it was missing the mystery. The set up was too slow, and nothing felt sinister. The two leads have gorgeous chemistry; unfortunately, they don’t share as many scenes as the movie goes on. The ending is good, but the film as a whole just missed the mark. This version lives in the original’s shadow and may have been better if told in a modern setting to set it apart.
Review: Rebecca
Score
Review Nation Score
The romance in Rebecca was well done, but it was missing the mystery. The set up was too slow, and nothing felt sinister. The two leads have gorgeous chemistry; unfortunately, they don’t share as many scenes as the movie goes on. The ending is good, but the film as a whole just missed the mark. This version lives in the original's shadow and may have been better if told in a modern setting to set it apart.