Brideshead Revisited

Excellent movie; though without the happy ending I was hoping for. This movie is worth it for the gorgeous scenery alone. In the 1920’s, a young artist (Matthew Goode - Matchpoint) befriends an eccentric gay classmate (Ben Whishaw – Perfume), but falls for his sister instead. A sort of love triangle ensues. The setting, Brideshead, is a gorgeous English estate (or palace - by my definition) headed by Whishaw’s mother, Emma Thompson. It is a setting where Goode’s artistic imagination runs wild, and later, he is taken to scenic Venice to visit the siblings’ dad, Michael Gambon (Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series, among many other things) and his mistress. Goode’s character is brought back to Brideshead many times – as the title suggests – as he tries to come to terms with his conflicted interests. Excellent Academy Award worthy movie. I really enjoyed it and especially the scenery, even though I always hope for the happy ending in movies.