This is a wonderful Blunt performance, characteristically subtle and mischievous, just one of the pleasures of this deeply enjoyable picture.

Look, this is a well-groomed film, and an earnest film, full of the things you will like if you like this kind of film... but it somehow fails to convey any real tension. It's lovely to look at, but also peculiarly inert and leaden.

The acting is fine, and while the plot is somewhat stale and very slow in taking shape, it is never boring. Those who like opulent movies in dress and scenery will love this movie. Regrettably, they will also soon forget it after they leave.

Aimless though it may be, the film’s director Jean-Marc Vallée shoots the costumes and the architecture with a sharp eye, even if the characters filling them don’t always keep our attention.