Saoirse Ronan

Billy Howle

Anne-Marie Duff

Adrian Scarborough

Emily Watson

Samuel West

Andy Burse

Rasmus Hardiker

Mia Burgess

Anna Burgess

Bebe Cave

John Ramm

Barney Iley

Mark Donald

Imogen Daines

Molly Miles

Victoria Hamnett

Marianne Cecil

Martin Bassindale

Daniel Boyd

Oliver Johnstone

Philip Labey

Tony Lucken

Esther Coles

Christopher Rob Bowen

Anton Lesser

Toby Dantzic

Tamara Lawrance

Bronte Carmichael

Terenia Edwards

Roseanna Leathley

Jonjo O'Neill

Claudia Jolly

Esther Yoo

Nadia Townsend

Ty Hurley

Mike Ray

Claire Ashton

Caroline Garnell

David Cradduck

Martin Bratanov

John Kinory

Simon North

Nigel Eaton

Kevin Day

Dominic Cooke

Ian McEwan

Dan Jones

Susannah Brough

Sean Bobbitt

Suzie Davies

Charlotte Dirickx

Nick Fenton

Keely Lanigan-Atkins

Elizabeth Karlsen

Stephen Woolley

Keith Madden

Nina Gold

Caroline Levy

Robert Jones

Beth Pattinson

Karen Elliott

Karen Hartley-Thomas

Norman Merry

Joe Oppenheimer

Peter Hampden

Chiara Gelardin

Thorsten Schumacher

Zygi Kamasa

Richard Payten

Polly Duval

Robert Farr

Ian Voigt

George Walker

Lee Herrick

Robert Ireland

Daniel Taylor

Brenna Rangott

Andrew Mackie

Louise Killin

Andie Davies

Drama

Romance

On Chesil Beach

Number 9 Films

BBC Film

United Kingdom

While the 1960s were seen as a period of sexual revolution, it is easy to forget that - like today - not everyone follows the same path.
_On Chesil Beach_ follows two virgins, Florence (Saoirse Ronan) and Edward (Billy Howle), as they try to consummate their marriage on their wedding night. Interspersed with flashbacks of how the couple met and their relationship developed, it becomes clear that Florence and Edward have very different reactions to the experience.

As a deep dive into sexuality, especially asexuality, _On Chesil Beach_ is a fascinating piece of work. It is likely to be much more reflective of the 1960s than media that portrays an era of hippies, drugs and promiscuity. This remains a generation recovering from the effects of war and still very much under the influence of their parents' reservations.

Unfortunately, in some ways, the film is also held back by those same reservations. Florence is shown as both extremely innocent and naïve, but with a hunger and desire to achieve her professional goals, while Edward is more of the free-spirit and happy to appease his wife, but with occasional signs of a wicked temper. The film gets caught up with backstory, trying to hammer those points home, to the detriment of exploring the present day.

It is with great credit that the two leads are able to convey a sense of humanity. Saoirse Ronan, especially, is able to escape the ponderous nature of her character's personality to deliver a performance that is brutally honest and relatable, while Billy Howle is able to add enough empathy to avoid the obvious trap of being portrayed as the villain in what is otherwise a tragic story.

Despite occasionally bordering on tedium as a form of entertainment, _On Chesil Beach_ is essential sexual education viewing.

English

Official Trailer

ON CHESIL BEACH Q&A | BFI London Film Festival 2017