Product Details

• Actors: Jessica Biel, Ben Barnes, Kristin Scott Thomas, Colin Firth, Kimberley Nixon
• Directors: Stephan Elliott
• Writers: Stephan Elliott, Noel Coward, Sheridan Jobbins
• Producers: Alexandra Ferguson, Barnaby Thompson, Cindy Wilkinson Kirven, Douglas Hansen
• Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 encoding (US and Canada only)
  PLEASE NOTE: Some Region 1 DVDs may contain Regional Coding Enhancement (RCE). Some, but not all, of our international customers have had problems playing these enhanced discs on what are called "region-free" DVD players. For more information on RCE, click here.
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Sony Pictures
• DVD Release Date: September 15, 2009
• Run Time: 97 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B002I5GNZQ
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,123 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Easy Virtue" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

A lighthearted adaptation of a Noel Coward play set in the late 1920s, Easy Virtue stars Jessica Biel as Larita, an adventurous American who marries John, the naive, British heir (Ben Barnes) to a crumbling family estate. Whisked into the less-than-receptive bosom of John's kin, Larita soon finds herself drawing the scorn of her mother-in-law (Kristin Scott Thomas), who would have preferred John marry a longtime sweetheart from his own genteel community rather than a brash Yankee. Eager to move to London, Larita knows the longer a post-honeymoon John visits his family the harder it will be for the newlyweds to live on their own terms, and she's right. Giving up on any notion of fitting in, Larita suffers a few embarrassments before fighting back. But nothing can help her once a past scandal encroaches on her dream of happiness.

Co-writer and director Stephan Elliott (The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) keeps everything breezy and fun, though the clashes between Larita and her malicious mother-in-law are keenly felt. Elliott's period sensibility is very strong, not least of all his appreciation of John's father (Colin Firth), a restless intellectual and member of the so-called Lost Generation of World War I veterans. Firth's performance as a man distanced from his family's preoccupations and material woes is a real highlight of Easy Virtue. When he dances a tango, late in the story, one can see years of repressed desire erupt in him. --Tom Keogh


Stills from Easy Virtue (Click for larger image)

Product Description

Jessica Biel, Colin Firth, Kristin Scott Thomas and Ben Barnes bring Noël Coward's witty comedy of manners magnificently to life in this "deliciously cheeky" (Ella Taylor, The Village Voice) adaptation from director Stephan Elliott (The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert). When British playboy John brings his new wife Larita - a race car-driving feminist from Detroit - home to meet the family at their country estate, pretty much everyone's expectations are disappointed. His snooty mother is offended by Larita's carefree American ways, while Larita does everything she can to get her mother-in-law to loosen up, which only annoys her even more. John's sisters have diametrically opposed feelings about their new sister-in-law, but his father is intrigued to have finally found another who sees through the family's façade - and takes great perverse pleasure in watching his wife meet her match.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 5 for the entire package, but..., September 13, 2009

By	Steve Kuehl "SLV Video" (Ben Lomond, CA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Easy Virtue [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

...I know the cost is going to be a killer. To summarize quickly before a long worded review - this is your typical solid Sony BD presentation of a good film, so I suppose one will have to weigh out how much they love the content.

I felt this to be a great comedy presentation of a 1920s Brit piece that came across on Blu beautifully. The English countryside estate (a lovely looking acreage and interior) is filled with a wonderful cast of snobs, naive youth, seasoned work staff, and a comic relief father played perfectly by Colin Firth. He was the strong point of the movie and I laughed almost every time he spoke. The story follows the introduction of an American wife into this mix played adequately by Jessica Biel. As the weeks progress we get to see a spattering of visuals, comedic schticks, and life lessons learned by all until the surprising end. I do not feel the criticism I have read here and elsewhere is valid since this is meant to be a light take on this sociological experiment, yet exquisitely preserved.

The overall colors were a little drab, but some of the landscape exteriors and one interior dance scene showed some vibrancy. The TrueHD was fine, and actually played best when the music was active (which is being interjected often). The supplements were thorough for a film like this, including:
* 5 minutes of 4 deleted scenes - would have been fine left in the film.
* 8:30 minutes of bloopers - they were actually funny and seemed appropriate for the extras inclusion since this was a humorous film.
* 6 minute New York Premiere Featurette - more of an ad plug with some red carpet interviews and too many film clips.
* Commentary by the director and writer - this was actually one of the better ones I have heard in some time. The director dominates the track with a plethora of great info, and the writer actually provides a solid back-up to his material; they gelled just right. Was nice to hear a team on a commentary instead of a competition or a mess of constant interruptions.

I liked the film and it plays very well in the store. The display catches a great deal of attention with the props, music and attire, plus everyone performs quite well. Four for the film and one for the extras. Did not see the original material (play, book) to compare so I think all the negative press is misplaced as a stand alone film, and Biel was not that bad - she did fine for what the role was. Enjoy.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Who dun the Chihuahua...?, September 13, 2009

By	Shopper (USA) - See all my reviews

"Easy Virtue" made it to number 95 on The London Times List of 100 Worst Films of 2008. Based on the play written by Noel Coward in 1924 (when he was only 25 years old), the film borrows a lot of lines from the original nearly verbatim. However, the end result departs vastly from the intent of the playwright and criminally underuses the dramatic talents of Collin Firth (the Father) and Kristin Scott Thomas (the Mother). But, let's start at the beginning:

An adventurous American widow (Biel) marries a very young scion of English landed gentry (Ben Barnes, who in real life is actually one year older then Biel; they try to pull off Biel's "cougar" illusion by dying her hair grey and blond). The lad introduces his new bride to the family and all hell breaks loose. Unsurprisingly to the viewer, the match is ill-conceived and ends just like we think it is going to end... though not until we have been treated to some predictable familiar hi-jinx, a stiff tango and, well... an equally stiff Chihuahua.

While the play clearly delivers Coward's views on rampant hypocrisy amongst better off English classes, the point our filmmakers are trying to make is not equally obvious. The script seems downright schizophrenic, as if the writer could not decide whether he was writing a comedy, a drama, a romance, a "who dun the Chihuahua", or something else all together. Instead of loathing, we feel pity for the supposed "bad guy", the lad's mother. With a disinterested cheat for a husband and a twit for a son, she is single-handedly trying to preserve what is left of the family's dignity and fortune. What a lonely task that is... Verdict: the script fails this film BIG TIME! It is difficult then to blame Biel for her character's vacuity of emotions. Lacking personal charisma and unsupported by the script, the actress fails to project the strength of a protagonist. The veterans, Firth and Thomas, have nothing to do but go thru the motions of displaying boredom and British stiff upper lip, respectively.

Easy Virtue is not void of saving graces: there are some witty dialog exchanges, mainly taken from the play itself, and of course there are the breathtaking sets, the costumes, and the jazz era music that make the film worthy of a one time view. Alas, another sublimely balanced "Gosford Park" this is NOT...

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy Virtue, November 12, 2009

By	D, Newcomer (Fla.) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

Any movie with Colin Firth, is a winner for me....the additional cast members are also a helping hand to this Noel Coward adaption, the English countryside, the era, costumes, droll humor----the most Positive is the "Tango"!!!!!!!! between Colin & Jessica Biel------WOW