“Easy Virtue” is easy on the eyes, but is it an amazing film? Not really. The movie, based on the 1920’s play by Noel Coward that was also adapted into a silent film by Alfred Hitchcock in 1928 is definitely viewable — but it won’t bedazzle.
The story goes that a young Englishman, John Whittaker (played by “Narnia’s” Ben Barnes), falls in love with a glamorous American race-car beauty named Larita (Jessica Biel). They elope Vegas-style without telling their families in the roaring twenties. But when John decides to take Larita back home (meaning a humongous mansion in the outskirts of England) John’s mother, Mrs. Whittaker, becomes less than pleased with his selection.
Now, before your alarm bells go off by thinking this movie is anything like J.Lo’s “Monster-in-Law” flick where the mother-in-law vs. daughter-in-law war is there just for laughing purposes don’t worry, “Easy Virtue” isn’t like that at all. Coward was known for presenting comedies in the form of tragedies and this idea transpires into the movie. Also be warned that the film’s opening credits may lead you into thinking you’re in for an hour and a half of cheese but don’t be fooled, it gets much better.
