Four Letters of Love
When a film is advertised with a line that reads: “Aimed at hopeless romantics”, it sets a challenge for prospective viewers. The filmmakers obviously believe there are a lot of people out there who like to think of themselves as “hopeless romantics”. It’s a cliché, but hey, that never bothered the masses. If Flaubert had thought to include “romantics” in his Dictionary of Received Ideas, the entry would have read: “always hopeless”.
On the other hand, there are those suspicious cinephiles who will immediately think: “Oh no, here comes another piece of syrupy tosh like The Notebook!”
As usual, the truth lies somewhere in-between. English director Polly Steele’s adaptation of Niall Williams’s best-selling novel has more than a whiff of syrup, but it’s a major advance on the Nicholas Sparks formula. The big plusses are the quality of the cast and the rugged scenery of Ireland’s west coast. The story itself is a kind of modern fairy tale with touches of magical realism.