"The Bookshop" (2016 release; British-Spanish co-production; 113 min.) 24 out of 29 found this helpful.

"Based on a prize-winning master's thesis, this compact and densely written history of an important family in the history of the Burgundian state, of Bruges their adopted city, and of European economic history in general is welcome indeed."

A film that unbelievably has won awards; and a film that a first year film student would have rejected. Beautifully done and my only regret is that I can't see it again for the first time. We come to know her by how she treats others and the developing relationships she has in this new town of hers. For instance, the wonderful Pentagram series designed for Faber didn't come out until the 80s, yet several are seen here.

A young widow of 16 years pursues her dream of owning and operating a bookshop in a fictional village, Hardbourough, Suffolk, UK.. She, Mrs. Green, is a woman of integrity, (Emily Mortimer). 18 out of 37 found this helpful. Everyone from adults to kids talk in the most unnatural way especially Bill Nighy who have always admired but in this film he plays a weird recluse living in a gothic house surrounded by brambles that a younger woman would steer well clear of. The Book Shop is a superb novel, but it has been made into a trite and boring film, without emotion or skill. 9 out of 17 found this helpful. I was still waiting for a story to develop when the credits started rolling. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with The Bookshop, it just underwhelms. I don't mind slowly paced films, but to make up for the lack of pace they need to be charming, or witty, or nuanced.....or at the very least original. Two good actors - Bill Nigh, Patricia Clarkson - were wasted. The young boy, Wally, running errands and delivering correspondence from Florence to Mr. Brundish (Bill Nighy). Was this review helpful?

Firstly I've got to say what a great cast this film has, from Bill Nighy as the curmudgeonly old bookworm, to Emily Mortimer as the ever hopeful would-be bookshop owner.
And her mentor Mr Brundish has supposedly been a recluse for 45 years, yet is somehow still intimately acquainted with every minute development in the town. I haven't read the book so I don't know if that's part of the story but it certainly wasn't explained in the film. Similar premise in both, but Chocolat is better scripted, acted and directed. Dreary direction aside, there are problems with the plot that one can only assume come from the source material. It's like watching Waiting for Godot when somebody has already told you that (spoiler alert) Godot's not coming. Then one day she is invited to a party, hosted by local powerhouse Violet, who had envisioned opening an arts center in the old house... At this point we are 10 min. While the emphasis of the book lies on the Rapondis' activities in Bruges, the meeting-place of international trade and finance in the fourteenth and fifteenth century, it also offers new insights into other important episodes of this fascinating period, including the Great Western Schism that divided the papacy, the continuing hostilities between England and France and the internal French conflict between Bourguignons and Armagnacs. Great story.
Saw this film last night, my expectations being relatively low, as I had no idea really what it was about. Was this review helpful?

The plot is further bogged down with all manner of unnecessary establishing and travelling shots. Felt like a great missed opportunity ... a flavour of post-war English small-mindedness, eccentrically 'off' characters in a Suffolk coastal town conspiring against the adventurous outsider trying to run a bookshop ... yet somehow it all fell flat for me. I've just wasted over an hour of my life...... This was 1959 without any evocation of 1959. Not for one second did I believe that Clarkson's character wanted the old house to run an arts center, but there's no plausible explanation given. I give this film an 8 (great) out of 10. Please!

From the moment it begins you know exactly how it's going to end. In the context of the politics of centralization conducted by the Burgundian dukes and the resistance of the Flemish cities the success story of the Rapondi can be understood. The veteran actors and picturesque setting were not quite enough to make up for the weak plot in this period drama. Was this review helpful? I really can't recommend it. She has been dreaming of opening a bookshop, and despite the resistance of the local banker, manages to renovate an old house. 51 out of 81 found this helpful. The story though, is an absolute letdown. I followed up with Banker for this article, and posed the same question to the Aetna Foundation, Schwab Charitable Fund, Bank of America Charitable Foundation, and Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund.

into the movie, but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out. A bit like a BBC period drama. . Only Schwab Charitable responded: Schwab Charitable account holders recommend grants to charities of their choice. 100 out of 141 found this helpful. I will say that it is a big "little" film that tells of small town politics and human dynamics with great compassion and sensitivity. People who love film often love reading, and this jewel of a movie delivers a treat. Violet is a nasty piece of work invoking a deep disdain in ones emotions. 78 out of 93 found this helpful.

In the context of the politics of centralization conducted by the Burgundian dukes and the resistance of the Flemish cities the success story of the Rapondi can be understood. 46 out of 63 found this helpful.

Patricia Clarkson is cast in a role that uses her acting expertise to its full advantage.

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Then there's the silences.

Few things were managed correctly; even the postman wore a laughably inaccurate uniform. I believe it deserves more credit. The story is ok. Its just so very flat a film. Would the odds be stacked against a newcomer like the bookseller here?

They develop a relationship with few words but common principles. It's not their fault I didn't enjoy the film since it's based on a book. As the movie opens, we are introduced to Florence, a middle-aged widow in a coastal town in England in the late 50s.