"Lady Macbeth" (2016) | Sam Gall Movie Review Issue #122 Gem Mint 10.0
“Lady Macbeth" (2016)
Director: William Oldroyd
Writer: Nikolai Leskov, Alice Birch
Starring: Florence Pugh, Cosmo Jarvis, Paul Hilton, Naomi Ackie,
Rated: R for some disturbing violence, strong sexuality/nudity, and language
Runtime: 1h 29min
Genre: Drama, Romance
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English
Available on: Vudu, Prime, Apple TV+ & various platforms
"In 19th-century rural England, a young bride who has been sold into marriage discovers an unstoppable desire within herself as she enters into an affair with a worker on her estate."
You might like this if you like: Drama, Romance, History, Thrillers, Period Pieces, Florence Pugh, Cosmo Jarvis, Paul Hilton, Naomi Ackie
Naomi Ackie (left) & Florence Pugh (right) in "Lady Macbeth" (2016)
I definitely wanted to check this out after “Black Widow” (2021) director, Cate Shortland, mentioned she watched this film multiple times before wanting to cast Florence Pugh as ‘Yelena Belova’. She’s been a favorite lately and have been catching up on all her work!
Florence Pugh in "Lady Macbeth" (2016)
Wasn’t sure what I was in for going in, but I thought it was a pretty fascinating little story. It’s a little rough at times, but the performances prevail and the simple, yet beautiful cinematography captures the eye at every angle!
Florence Pugh was truly great in this! I’m still going to be devouring the rest of her filmography after this!
Florence Pugh (left), Naomi Ackie (middle) & Cosmo Jarvis (right) in "Lady Macbeth" (2016)
I thought she was going to steal the whole show, but I was really impressed by Cosmo Jarvis and Naomi Ackie’s performances! They take over the movie for me! I hadn’t seen Cosmo before, and only in writing this recommendation did I realize I’ve seen Naomi in a few things, most recently “Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker” (2019).
Florence Pugh in "Lady Macbeth" (2016)
I certainly felt for Florence Pugh’s character at times, not knowing when or where I would and surprising me at every corner! Maybe not for everybody, but I really enjoyed this one! If you enjoy historical dramas, romance, thrillers, you might dig this!
Written by Sam Gall on 08/02/21
CGC Grading: Gem Mint 10.0
"Ackie plays the constant terror of being volleyed back and forth between sadistic white noblemen and women with terrifying calm. In truth, this is really her movie." - Cate Young, Thirty, Flirty + Film
"A powerful, at times brutal, portrayal of a woman driven to extremes in search of autonomy." - Kat Halstead, Common Sense Media
"The oppressed become conquerors and vice versa in a story that treats vengeance like an everyday event." - Richard Crouse, Richard Crouse
"With a crackling, loaded script by Birch, Lady Macbeth is an exhilarating, radical and timely examination of being a woman in a man's world." - Dustin Chang, ScreenAnarchy
"Director Oldroyd has done a fine job distilling the essence of Leskov's novella. His Lady Macbeth is an intense, conscientious, well-constructed piece." - Joanne Laurier, World Socialist Web Site
"Lady Macbeth is understated and devastating in a single breath, and I'm certain we'll be seeing a great deal more of Florence Pugh in the years to come." - Steven Prokopy, Third Coast Review
Official Trailer:
Behind the Scenes:
#LadyMacbeth #FlorencePugh #CosmoJarvis #NaomiAckie #FemaleShakespeare #CateShortland #WomenInFilm #PeriodDramas #RomanticNovels #Cinema #ActingClass