Review: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society doesn't ask much of its audience, but neither does it ask much of itself. As with its twisty title, there's much to untangle with its narrative yet, despite its relative busyness, there's no genuine momentum to either the tale's events or its characters. Despite this, it ambles merrily along, kept alive by its pleasant tone and solid cast, particularly Lily James, who proves once again what a luminous and invaluable presence she is.

Based on the posthumous novel by Mary Ann Shaffer and her niece Annie Barrows, the film begins in 1941 on the German-occupied island of Guernsey as four drunken friends are stopped by the Germans for violating curfew. The quick-thinking Elizabeth (Jessica Brown Findlay) explains that they were returning from their literary society meeting. When pressed for the title of their book club, one of her companions, local postmaster Eben (Tom Courtenay) replies with the titular mouthful. The group, also consisting of Amelia (Penelope Wilton) and Dawsey (Michiel Huisman), make the pretense a reality, their weekly meetings a refuge from their harsh realities and an opportunity to sate their need for human connection.

Cut to five years later in London where writer Juliet Ashton (James) and her publisher Sidney (Matthew Goode) are in the midst of promotional duties for her latest work, another entry in a series of light but commercially successful collection of stories. One day, she receives a letter from Dawsey, who found her name and address inscribed in one of the books featured in the literary society. They soon embark on a correspondence and, piqued by the history of the book club and its members, whom she believes would make for a great article, and somewhat pressured to commit by her dashing GI boyfriend Mark (Glen Powell), the newly engaged Juliet decides to journey to Guernsey.

Screenwriters Kevin Hood, Don Roos and Tom Bezucha flit back and forth between present and past as Juliet attempts to discover what became of the rebellious Elizabeth despite the tight-lipped reluctance of the book clubbers. Juliet also finds herself attracted to Dawsey but, given that she took off her engagement ring the minute she stepped foot on the island, the love triangle that the filmmakers try to create doesn't exactly solidify into anything believable. It's too bad, as Powell makes Mark a far more interesting character than the filmmakers intended. Huisman is suitably handsome, but there's barely any dimension to his character and so little chemistry between him and James that their eventual pairing is obviously one of narrative imperative.

Despite the undercurrent of darkness that runs through the film, director Mike Newell renders proceedings through rose-coloured glasses so there's no genuine sense of conflict or intrigue. Nevertheless, audiences have plenty to engage them, including beautiful costume and period design, excellent support from veterans Courtenay and Wilton, and a winning leading turn from James.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Directed by: Mike Newell

Written by: Kevin Hood, Don Roos, Tom Bezucha; adapted from the novel by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Starring: Lily James, Michiel Huisman, Glen Powell, Jessica Brown Findlay, Katherine Parkinson, Matthew Goode, Tom Courtenay, Penelope Wilton, Bronagh Gallagher