Ladies in Lavender

One of many uncertain things to people living near a coastline is they never know what ocean waves may bring to them. After a stormy night, Ursula (by Judi Dench) and Janet (by Maggie Smith) wake up to find an unconscious young man washed up on the beach, their routine life then changes. They rescue him to their house, feed him, find him a doctor, take good care of him, teach him English, and even buy him some nice suit. By accident, they find him a violin which changes this miserable young man into everyone's sweetheart, or almost so. A gifted violinist from Poland, this mysterious young man named Andrea (by Daniel Bruhl) is on his way to America but lands on the wrong side of Atlantic Ocean after a shipwrack, who turns out to be both a blessing and a plague the ocean presents to the village. Andrea's unconventional arrival on the brink of World War II arouses some suspicions among a few villagers, as his fantastic music not only brings many joys to the two ladies but also awakens some deeply seeded emotion in Ursula, and his abrupt leave with another female visitor (Olga by Natascha McElhone) for London without a farewell causes some speculations of the villagers in general and a heartbroken pain within Ursula in particular. In the end, it is in the heart-melting violin rhytem of Andrea's play where the village finds its peace of mind again, and Ursula her closure eventually.

 

Elegantly made, "Ladies in Lavender" is a beautiful British film about two retired sisters living quietly in a seaside village, and going through a love story with their gracious style and admirable dignity. Helped by the picturesque scenes of the fishing village in Cornwall and the shoot-in performances of Judi and Maggie, Director Charles Dance seems able to let his camera roll by itself and easily translates "Ladies in Lavender" into a British fairytale, beautifully.