- Film Review
- Reviewed By Trevor Johnston
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3 out of 5
A sleepy Dorset village becomes a hotbed of scandal after an "It girl" newspaper columnist returns home to set local menfolk's hearts fluttering in this comedy drama adapted from Posy Simmonds's Guardian newspaper cartoon strip. As played by Gemma Arterton, the eponymous Tamara certainly doesn't lack charm, yet somehow the other characters in this ensemble piece prove more emotionally engaging. We really warm to put-upon spouse Beth Hardiment (Tamsin Greig - wonderful) as she endures life with egocentric crime novelist Nicholas (Roger Allam). Then again, we also feel for Andy Cobb (Luke Evans), the farm hand who can't quite forget his teenage romance with Tamara, while the script also makes room for the impish pluck of bored schoolgirl Jody Long (Jessica Barden), and indeed the shambling romantic awakening of American academic Glen McCreavy (Bill Camp - quite a scene-stealer). Director Stephen Frears juggles these various plotlines with assurance, reminding us that beneath the soap opera-style surface there are serious notions about the way celebrity culture makes people feel unhappy with the lives they have. A shame, really, that the title character is perhaps the least interesting, but the spot-on performances still leave us with lots to enjoy.
Plot Summary
Comedy drama starring Gemma Arterton. When a beautiful and charming newspaper columnist returns to the sleepy Dorset village where she grew up to fix up her family home, it's not long before her presence stirs up the local menfolk.
Cast and crew
Cast
- Tamara Drewe
- Gemma Arterton
- Nicholas Hardiment
- Roger Allam
- Glen McCreavy
- Bill Camp
- Ben Sergeant
- Dominic Cooper
- Andy Cobb
- Luke Evans
- Beth Hardiment
- Tamsin Greig
- Jody Long
- Jessica Barden
- Casey Shaw
- Charlotte Christie
- Interviewer
- James Naughtie
- Diggory
- John Bett
- Zoe
- Josie Taylor
- Eustacia
- Bronagh Gallagher
- Tess
- Pippa Haywood
- Penny Upminster
- Susan Wooldridge
- Mary
- Amanda Lawrence
- Nadia Patel
- Zahra Ahmadi
- Lucetta
- Cheryl Campbell
Crew
- Director
- Stephen Frears
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