Movie Info:
Writer: Andrew Davies, Sarah Waters
Director: Tim Fywell
Cast: Anna Madeley, Zoe Tapper, Domini Blythe, Anne Reid, Amanda Plummer, Anna Massey
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: MTV/Logo/Paramount

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: May 3, 2008
DVD Release Date: August 19, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon: $21.99

When I agreed to review Affinity I did not know anything about it other than it was a gothic, tragic romance of sorts that included issues of death, loneliness, and spirituality. I knew it was an MTV production, by way of Logo, but other than that I was more or less clueless. I watch Logo from time to time though, so I decided to check it out and try something new. I have to admit that I am glad that I did. Where MTV has gone wrong consistently lately, Logo seems to be making all the right moves.

Affinity is a film that was adapted from the novel of the same name by Sarah Waters. As I have not read the novel, I cannot comment on how close or far off it is from the film. What I can say though is that I found the film compelling enough to want to read the novel. Waters’ ability to write is obvious as she manages to produce multidimensional characters and a strong creative structure that made it a good pick for a movie somewhere down the road.

It should be stated though that parts of the film feel mismatched. My theory is that the entire novel could not be translated or scrunched into the 90 minute time frame, so things were left out, which gives that disjointed feeling. This does not make the movie bad, but it could have used some work. However, it is obvious to see that the writing ability on the part of Waters is there and the cast did a marvelous job at working with what they were given.

As this is a primarily British (or non-American) cast there were not too many names or faces that I recognized right off the bat. One person I did recognize though was Amanda Plummer. I recognized Plummer from her work in Pulp Fiction, The World According to Garp, and The Hotel New Hampshire. Hers was just one of the performances in this film that made watching it an enjoyable experience. I may not have known what to expect, but after seeing this I will certainly be looking out for the writers and cast in the future.

The Affinity Plot
Anna Madeley plays the roll of Margaret Prior. Margaret is a young woman in her 20s that is living an unsatisfying existence. She is living in a time (1870s Victorian era London) where most women have been married off by her age. However, Margaret lives with her mother. Her father just died and as if all of this wasn’t bad enough she has a male suitor (Vincent Leclerc) that makes unwanted advances. To make matters worse, her girlfriend, Helen (Ferelith Young) leaves her only to move on to to Margaret’s brother! From the looks of it, things could not get any worse for Margaret.

Oddly enough, Margaret decides that the cure for her is to visit the local prison for women, Milbank. While at Milbank, Margaret becomes friends with one of the women, named Selina (Zoe Tapper). Selina was convicted of being a fake medium and causing the death of a person during a séance. According to Selina, the spirits caused the person’s death, but naturally the court would not fall for something like that. The two girls find an affinity for one another, but with one in prison and the other in her own prison, it is hard to say what could become of such feelings.

As the feelings between the women grow, supernatural things begin to occur. Some of Selina’s hair ends up under Margaret’s pillow, flowers end up in Margaret’s bedroom, and things that simply have no explanation occur. Things continue along this course until the ending, which most will not find too shocking.

The acting is one of the best parts of this film. However, one cannot discount the moody, foreboding tone that looms in the background at all times. The costume design was not only beautiful, but right on par for what you would expect from a movie such as this. Despite its flaws, the good parts here far outweigh the bad.

Storyline/Plot:
Replayability:
Acting:
Directing:

Audio/Visual:
There is absolutely nothing to complain about when it comes to the video quality of Affinity. Paramount offers this film in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen and things come out looking good. The colors of the film are used to create a dark, rough, and unpolished environment. The prison scenes look excellent, having been shot in this manner. I did notice some grain and a bit of softness, but in the case of the former it appears that was the intention of the filmmakers. Otherwise, this received a good visual quality from Paramount.

Dolby Digital 2.0 is offered for the audio. The sound is not exactly dreamy, especially if you are interested in surround capabilities, of which there are not many. The sound is especially quiet for much of the picture though it is obvious that this is the intent of the filmmakers. The audio here is somewhere between stellar and mediocre. It’s not bad, but I have certainly heard better.

Visual:
Audio:

Bonus Features:
The bonus features start off with a six minute featurette, “The Making of Affinity.” It is nice that this was included, though I can say that I didn’t learn a great deal from watching the featurette. “Selina and Mrs. Lewis” is a additional scene that was left out of the film. Generally, parts that are left out are not added for a reason and that is exactly the case here. Interviews with the author, screenwriter, and the main stars are also included in the bonus section. Things are rounded out with a trailer and some previews.

Bonus Features:

Bottom Line:
You do not have to be a lesbian (I’m not) to appreciate Affinity. If you like gothic romance, tragedy, the supernatural, or Victorian England this just might peak your interest. True, it’s not as good as it could have been, but it is still worth watching. I recommend trying to catch it on Logo or renting it for your first time watching. From then on, you should pick it up if you think it will be something that you would be interested in watching frequently.

Overall Rating:

Technorati Tags: Anna Madeley, Zoe Tapper, Domini Blythe, Anne Reid, Amanda Plummer, Anna Massey, Sarah Waters, Affinity, Logo, MTV, DVD, DVD Review, Lesbian, Victorian England, Prison