Amazon.co.uk Review
Set during the Second World War,
The Edge Of Love is, at heart, the story of a love triangle. In the middle of it is the poet Dylan Thomas (played here by Matthew Rhys), and itâs he who finds himself in love with two women. On one hand, thereâs his childhood sweetheart Vera Phillips (Keira Knightley), and on the other thereâs his wife, Caitlin Thomas (Sienna Miller). Throw in Caitlinâs husband, William (Cillian Murphy), and you have the basis of a complicated period romantic drama.
The best parts of The Edge Of Love prove to be in the build up, with the strong production values really allowed director John Maybury to build up his characters, and get across the setting of a war-torn London. Boasting good performances from the likes of Keira Knightley and Matthew Rhys, itâs hard not to get pulled into the filmâs set-up.
That said, the pay-off of The Edge Of Love isnât quite as satisfying, and the second half of the film lacks the punch youâd expect it to have. Itâs hard to pinpoint quite why it doesnât gel, but as major dramatic events ensue, youâre simply not drawn into them as much as youâd hope. Perhaps a bit more fleshing out of the characters would have helped.
However, thereâs still a lot to admire and enjoy, and The Edge Of Love boasts some excellent visuals, and neat directorial touches. And even though it doesnât fulfill its potential, itâs still a fine, eminently watchable drama. It just could have been that little bit more. --Jon Foster
Synopsis
Set against a backdrop of London during World War II, THE EDGE OF LOVE tells the story of a love triangle that forms between renowned poet Dylan Thomas (Matthew Rhys), his young, sultry wife, Cat ( Sienna Miller) and old flame Keira Knightley.