Movie Review: Summerland

During World War 2 children from London with serving family members were moved out, away from the dangers of the air raids (London Blitz). Summerland is the story of Alice Land a reclusive writer living life by the seaside cliffs of Southern England.

Often misunderstood and not liked due to her prickly manner, she lives in the seaside town of East Sussex.  She has her life turned upside when a young boy called Frank turns up on her doorstep to be cared for.  Alice demands him to be taken away as she has writing to do and can’t care for a child, she does not even like children!   

summerland movie

After much complaining, she agrees to take him for a week only as she knows he has nowhere to go and all the other villagers are doing it so she is told she has no choice but to take him.

She does not want to like Frank but he is an inquisitive child, full of questions, and his enthusiasm for life chips away at Alice’s walls.  They bond and talk about life,  his Dad a pilot is in the military, and his mother works for the Ministry.

Alice starts to answer Frank’s questions about her past and we see flashbacks of her with a female she met in her university days whom she loved and lost. The end of the week comes will she be able to send Frank on his way?

This movie is written and directed by Jessica Swale and it is a tale of heartache, loss, and love. Gemma Arterton is brilliant as the eccentric Alice and Lucas Bond as Frank, with an outstanding and endearing support cast. I found the movie a bit slow to start but then I was hooked and taken on this lovely emotion-filled journey.

The landscape was spectacular and becomes a character in its own right and what really made the movie stand out to me.  This beautiful film is out in cinemas in Australia from the 07/01/2021.

Thank you, Beauty and Lace and Icon Films for the opportunity to watch and review this film.

One thought on “Movie Review: Summerland

  1. Thanks for this review, I’m looking forward to seeing this movie. In addition to the fact that it looks like a great story and beautiful cinematography as someone who grew up in the county of East Sussex I’m hoping to spot some landmarks from my childhood. 🙂

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