Lady Macbeth

Ah, the Scottish play, a Shakespearean tale of plotting, violence and prophecy. This adaptation, actually from Nikoai Leskov’s novella on adultery and murder, is similarly as violent and awash with plotting as the original Macbeth.

Katherine (Florence Pugh) is bought by grouchy Boris (Christopher Fairbank) and wedded off into a less than mutual marriage with Alexander (Paul Hilton). When she’s left to her own devices she jumps upon the chance for fun, happiness and a new relationship, even though it starts raising suspicions and leading her to make dramatic decisions.

The prominent factor with this film is the slow-ticking nature of choice and action as we follow the bored and lonely Katherine through highs and lows. Like Macbeth’s smarter and more madly driven spouse, she becomes hooked on the notion of what she wants and that will never be stopped whatever the cost to her or others. So once she reveals her cheating ways and gets a weapon to hand we fully understand her motivated psychotic side. Director William Oldroyd has done a fine job in keeping that quiet burning of 19th century drama on the forefront, ensuring the movie feels ready to tip over at any point.

Though it does indeed tip, the bloody and terrible decisions made by Katherine never strike with a shocking impact. For me the film comes across as too serene and more arty for the sake of capturing nice cinematography. DOP Ari Wegner does provide the necessary sense of a calm and secluded location but the plot within that beauty isn’t so enthralling.