Plot: What’s it about?
In life, finding that special someone is no easy task, and for many it takes countless years of failures and more searches before the true one enters the picture. As difficult as that is, imagine if you one night found that someone, your true love, but if you join with that person, your family will disown you and your home and holdings taken from you. Now, suppose the woman is the daughter of a wealthy man, and her lover is a poor servant in the father’s court, and their love means the daughter is banished from her comfortable lifestyle, that seems even more harsh. This is what happens with Miss Julie (Saffron Burrows) and Jean (Peter Mullan), who find that even the truest of love is never easy, even when once you’ve found it. After a wine filled evening, the two find themselves in the throes of passion, in the kitchen no less, and soon discover their feelings of true love. Just that one night opened their eyes to each other, and to the fact that they need to be together, no matter what. But since Jean is the footman of Julie’s father, Julie is forced to decide between her newfound love and her current lifestyle and riches. Will love be enough to support this pair of lovers, or will Julie’s past lure her back to the way she used to be?
Even though I missed this film while it played theatrically, I had a feeling I was going to like it. I am partial to period pieces, I usually Saffron Burrows’ performances, and most of all I love films by Mike Figgis. Now that I’ve seen the film, and in the comfort of my own home I might add, I have to say all my expectations were met with this movie. Note that I said my expectations were met, because they were not exceeded. I was hoping for a solid movie with a good production design, and that’s what I got. The movie is good, but I found that it falls short of some of Figgis’ other recent films, which I admit disappointed me somewhat. But then again, after Leaving Las Vegas, I think Figgis is going to be hard pressed to top himself. Even so, there’s plenty to like with this movie, it’s just not in the same league as Figgis’ finest works. I loved the production and costume design used in this movie, and I have to say it marks as my favorite portion of the film. The costumes especially, really wonderful work. I recommend this movie, though I do think a rental should do the job for most. Fans of period pieces, dramas, and Figgis will have the most interest, but others might give it a chance as well.
This film was directed by Mike Figgis, who has become one of my favorite directors in recent years. I enjoyed his films before, but after such movies as Leaving Las Vegas and The Loss Of Sexual Innocence, I found a new depth to his work. His films aren’t for everyone, but those who can handle the subject matter should find more than enough entertainment and more with his resume of titles. If you like Figgis’ style, make sure to check out the above two films, as well as Mr. Jones, One Night Stand, and Internal Affairs. The lead role in this film was cast to perfection, as Saffron Burrows seems to become Miss Julie, and carries the movie with no problems at all. Burrows (Wing Commander, Deep Blue Sea) shows herself as a sophisticated woman, but we can still see the conflicts within her, which is vital. I wasn’t sure about Burrows in this role, but she won me over right away. Peter Mullan (Kingdom Come, Trainspotting) and Maria Doyle Kennedy (The Commitments, Moll Flanders) also fill their screen time with excellent performances. The supporting cast also includes Tam Dean Burn (Local Hero), Eileen Walsh (The Van), and Heathcote Williams (Cousin Better, Blue Juice).
Video: How does it look?
Miss Julie is presented in a 1.85:1 widescreen transfer, which is not enhanced for widescreen televisions. This is a rather drab movie when it comes to color, but the shades of grey, gold, and such all come across well with no errors of any kind, and flesh tones appear natural and problem free as well. The contrast is vital to this more natural and dark film, and this transfer comes through well, with distinct and deep shadows and no visible detail loss to be found. There is some grain evident, but this is intentional, and only minor compression errors surface.
Audio: How does it sound?
When this film played in theaters, there were audio complaints, centering on the dialogue which was garbled and low in volume ratio with the other elements. I never saw it theatrically, but I can say this home video version suffers from no such troubles, the included Dolby Digital 5.1 track more than gets the job done. The film is dialogue driven for the most part, but some minor effects and the musical score make use of the surrounds. The dialogue sounds great, with no volume issues at all, just hard to decipher accents, but that’s the way it’s supposed to be!
Supplements: What are the extras?
All you get is the theatrical trailer, MGM didn’t even include a collectible booklet…
