Miss Julie (2014)

Set in 1890 Ireland, the aristocratic daughter (Jessica Chastain) of a Baron is left alone with only her father's valet (Colin Farrell) and the cook (Samantha Morton) left in the manor. Despite the difference in their class, she begins a flirtation with the valet that gets dangerously out of hand. Based on the classic play by August Strindberg and directed by actress Liv Ullmann. Strindberg's great play deals with both the class system of the day and the sexual politics of men and women. There's something missing in this film adaptation and it's hard to point a finger at it. The three actors are first rate and Ullmann's direction is more than decent. But there's no sexual tension in it and without it, much of the play doesn't make sense. In 1951, Alf Sjoberg made a superb film adaptation of Strindberg's play, making it cinematic without taking anything away from the play. This version isn't as cinematic and even lacks the claustrophobic tightness that a single setting could bring. As the cook, Morton is the most consistent of the actors while Chastain and Farrell are uneven though Chastain has one great scene.