Mothering Sunday

Film | 15| ★★★★✩

Olivia Coleman (The Favourite, The Father) and Colin Firth (Love Actually, The King’s Speech) star alongside Odessa Young (Shirley, The Stand) and Josh O’Connor (God’s Own Country, The Crown) in Mothering Sunday, a gorgeously evocative adaptation of Graham Swift’s 2016 novel of the same name.

Directed by Eva Husson and with a screenplay by Alice Birch (Succession), the film follows the story of a young maid living in post-World War I rural England as she secretly plans to meet with the man she loves.

The Nivens (Colman and Firth), an upper class couple who lost both their boys in World War I, continue to observe Mothering Sunday, a daywhen they encourage their servants to take the afternoon off off and spend it with their mothers.

While the Nivens plan to spend the day away with their neighbours the Sherringhams, their maid, 22 year old Jane Fairchild (a robust turn from Young) receives a phone call from her lover, Paul Sheringham (O’Connor,) inviting her to the Sheringham estate.

Jane and Paul have been lovers for some time but now the young man has decided to get married to a woman of his own standing, which means spending one last afternoon with his lover. While clearly not the type to suffer fools  gladly, Jane is happy to go along with Paul’s plan out of love for a man who values his social standing and family ties over the love he has for her.

This gorgeously crafted adaptation is often meandering, but never jarring. Colman delivers a heartbreaking performances as a mother still broken over the loss of her children, while Firth is the quietly resilient, yet visibly fragile father keeping a stiff upper lip for the sake of his wife. For their part, Young and O’Connor deliver two exquisite turns as two young people caught in a web of deceit and eventually separated by tragedy.

Elsewhere, the film features a truly stunning score from classical musician Morgan Kibby who adds am extra helping of magic realist wonder to accompany Jamie Ramsay’s gorgeous cinematography. Meanwhile, acclaimed costume designer Sandy Powell puts the finishing touches on this very handsomely executed period piece.

Mothering Sunday may not be perfect in every way, but Husson has surpassed all expectations with this beautifully performed and stunning adaptation of Swift’s much loved novel.