When it comes to period pieces, it’s always hit or miss. It’s whether or not one can take a moment in time — something set in stone — and change it, that separates the so called men from the boys. That being said, “Easy Virtue” is infantile at it’s best and still in the womb at it’s worst.
The story begins as if it were a news reel at the cinema in the twenties right before the feature was to start. Larita (Jessica Biel), a beautiful female race car driver finishes up a race. As she’s being mobbed by a sea of fans and photographers, she spots the cool and calm John Whitaker (Ben Barnes) lighting up a cigarette as he casually leans against a wall. Next time we see them, they are married and so begins the tradition of meeting the parents.
The old fashioned and very stubborn Mrs. Whitaker (Kristen Scott Thomas) despises her son’s new bride from the very start and makes it her mission to convince him to end the marriage. Meanwhile, Mr. Whitaker (Colin Firth) defends Larita, who is clearly out of her element, and the pair slowly begin to grow attached to one another.
If “Easy Virtue” were a play it may be able to salvage itself from complete and utter failure. Even for unconventional audiences it isn’t really a story that will attract any clear minded person. I gather it is supposed to be a comedy, but besides one scene that starts off mildly funny then gets beat into the ground as it is used over and over again, the only funny parts of the film are the witty remarks from Firth’s life-loathing character Mr. Whitaker.
When it comes to the casting in the film, I have no strong disapproval, just one tiny disagreement — the casting of Jessica Biel in the role of Larita. She hasn’t proven to be an actress of any sort of value yet and after her take in this film, she still hasn’t. This is more of a role I’d see going to someone like Reese Witherspoon or possibly even Anne Hathaway — although I could see how they would have trouble getting either of those two to lower their salaries for such a weak script.
When it comes down to it, there was just nothing to stick around for in this film. The end is easily established about 30 minutes into the film, leaving you wondering why it isn’t a short. There are too many, for lack of better words, corny catch phrases and overly dramatic deliveries in this film to take it seriously, even as a comedy.