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Anyone who loves to read fully understands the value of a good book—whether it’s inspiring, informative, or just plain entertaining. But in the adaptation of author Penelope Fitzgerald’s novel, The Bookshop, the opening of a new bookshop leads to tension in an otherwise sleepy town.
The Bookshop travels to a small town in 1950s England, where Florence Green (Emily Mortimer) wakes one morning and decides to stop mourning her beloved husband and honor his memory by opening a bookshop. She chooses the location in an old house that’s been vacant for years, and she gets to work to make her dream a reality. But her dream takes courage—not only because the only person in town who actually reads is an elderly recluse (Bill Nighy) who’s unlikely to pop in but also because the wealthiest woman in town (Patricia Clarkson) wants the Old House for a local arts center.
With its lovely period details and its charming characters, The Bookshop is a quiet and unhurried tale of courage and determination. Florence is kind and thoughtful and passionate about what she does. She loves the feeling you get from finishing a good book, and she wants to share that with her neighbors—whether they’re interested or not. And once her shop opens, she surrounds herself with lovable young employees and a solitary old man who’s quite open in his hatred of his fellow human beings. These characters (especially Nighy’s Mr. Brundish) give the film its touches of wry humor—and they help the shop owner in her fight to keep her business open.
If you’re expecting the townspeople to take sides and come to blows over this quaint little bookshop, though, you’ll be disappointed. There aren’t any wacky British shenanigans here. In fact, the battle between Mrs. Green and her wealthy rival, Mrs. Gamart, is about as polite and passive aggressive as they get. The two hardly ever speak. Instead, Mrs. Gamart uses rumors and her own power in the town to get what she wants, while Mrs. Green fights back by refusing to back down. Though it’s the story’s main conflict, it doesn’t seem especially well-developed. And it certainly makes for a sleepy showdown.
If you love quiet afternoons curled up with a work of classic fiction, you’ll appreciate the style and message of The Bookshop. You’ll appreciate the characters, too. But it’s quiet and rather slow—and not as fun-filled as you might like it to be.
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