It has been pouring for two days. What with the rain and the stay at home situation, I have been feeling quite restless. Then last night I found this amazing movie. This Beautiful Fantastic is a 2016 British romantic drama, written and directed by Simon Aboud.
Bella Brown was abandoned as a baby in an English park. She was warmed and protected by the ducks until she was found by a swimmer. Raised in an orphanage, she grows up needing to have a great amount of order in her life. Except for ducks, she is terrified of nature, plants in particular. When she is an adult, Bella becomes a librarian in a local library which is ruled by a very strict head librarian. Bella comes home each night to her quiet, clean house; eats a simple, organized meal; and struggles to write a children’s book. But life won’t let her continue this way.
One day Bella’s landlord pays a surprise visit and tells her she has one month to clean up her wild, tangled garden or be evicted. Bella is forced to make decisions and reach out to others: Vernon, an Irish widower with two little girls, who cooks amazing meals but needs some courage; Alfie Stevenson, the sad, grumpy old man next door whose only passion is flowers; and Billie, a young, messy inventor who invades the library and encourages her to write her book. As the four get to know each other and work together, each of them begins to change.
I loved this movie! It was witty, charming, and tender. Each scene was so beautiful, the music was inspiring, Alfie’s remarks are bitingly funny, and Bella’s ongoing narration of her book weaves the story of a remarkable bird throughout the plot. Each character became dear to me. I cried at the end.
This movie gives us a lot to think about. It reminds us that we need each other, and that we can do amazing things with our lives if we have a little encouragement.
Five stars! I recommend this movie to everyone.
Starring: Jessica Brown Findlay as Bella Brown, Tom Wilkinson as Alfie Stevenson, Andrew Scott as Vernon, Jeremy Irvine as Billy Tranter, Anna Chancellor as Bramble (the Head Librarian), and Eileen Davies as Milly (the doctor).
Carol Nicolas 