Brideshead Revisited is the story of the artist Charles Ryder (Matthew Goode) who loses everything because of his continued attachment to the aristocratic Flyte family.

In the movie, Charles becomes intimate with his Oxford schoolmate, the Lord Sebastian Flyte (Ben Whishaw). Sebastian falls head over heels for Charles, and asks Charles to accompany him and his sister Julia (Hayley Atwell) on a trip to Venice to visit their father (Michael Gambon). On the trip, Charles falls for Julia and kisses her in a dark alley. Sebastian, searching for his friend and sister, witnesses the event and runs away heartbroken.

Afterwards, Julia rejects Charles and marries Rex Mottram (Jonathan Cake). Sebastian becomes a drunk. His mother, Lady Marchmain (Emma Thompson) steps in, determined to reform her son through her Catholic faith. Sebastian flees, and Charles breaks his attachment with the family. Many years later, Charles runs into Julia again, and they launch into an affair.

This first part of the movie is stamped with witty back-and-forths and beautiful historic reenactment. Of note, are the hilarious scenes between Charles and his awful father (Patrick Malahide). The second part of the movie, by contrast, is less focused. Julia’s transition from wily debutante to sad mistress seems rushed.

Fans of novel will certainly miss characters cut or relegated to minor roles, especially Anthony Blanche. They will also naturally fill-in the rushed portions of the movie, though they may raise an eyebrow at some plot changes.

Though hurried in its conclusion, the movie succeeds in giving bittersweet satisfaction. It benefits from Waugh’s pithy dialogue and succeeds in bringing to life the beauty of the era, but if one truly wants to enjoy Waugh’s extraordinary characters, the best advice is to read the book.

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