There is no other film quite like this intense Saoirse Ronan drama

Some of the best romance films don’t have happy endings or fairytale romances. Out of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg To La La Land or Casablanca, Sometimes the best stories come from those near misses, when things just don’t work out despite a real or intense connection. There may even be feelings of passion, but in the end all that remains is an intense longing for what could have been. Maybe it’s the wrong place at the wrong time or just fate getting in the way. In other cases, the problems may be internal – Maybe they were never right for each other or just weren’t right for each other at that moment. Either way, the moment passes and people are left with only one option: move on.

This is exactly the kind of doomed relationship explored in the 2017 film At Chesil Beach. Based on the bestselling novel by Ian McEwan and directed Dominic Cook, the movie stars Saoirse Ronan And Billy Howle. Florence (Ronan) and Edward (Howle) are two young lovers who have just married and are spending their honeymoon at Chesil Beach on the south coast of England. The expectation for both of them and their family and friends is that they will consummate their marriage in their beautiful seaside hotel. Edward’s family loves Florence, while Florence’s family tolerates Edward. Despite their completely different social classes and turbulent family life, they pulled it off and made it to their wedding day. However, the energy in the hotel room is unpleasant from the first moment. The enduring romantic bond they had with each other falls apart when they reach the wedding bed, especially when it becomes abundantly clear that Florence doesn’t want that.

“On Chesil Beach” adds to an experience not often portrayed

Florence and Edward are the focus of the story – the audience sees this relationship through their eyes as they look back on what got them to where they are now. Edward is a young working-class man who spends his days caring for his ailing mother. He struggles with his temper, has gotten into fights before, and seems like someone who craves a certain level of attention and care. However, due to the expectations placed on him to keep a stiff upper lip, his anger simmers until it costs him something special. However, Florence’s character arc is not often portrayed in fiction: she is sex-averse while entering into a relationship.

There are a number of reasons why intimacy isn’t the thing for someone. It could be how someone is wired, or maybe they need to form an intense connection with someone first. In Florence’s case, it comes from a place of deeply intense but unspoken trauma. But Florence is a young woman in the 1960s, and although chastity is a virtue imposed on her, she ends up at the wedding bed. She is suddenly expected to be a good intimate partner once she is married. She tries to read books and talk to people, but it is always difficult to broach this topic at the same time when even talking about sex before marriage was considered immoral.

The portrayal of a doomed relationship in “On Chesil Beach”

We no longer live in the 1960s, but even in this more enlightened age, asexuality is still a topic of conversation that remains largely untouched. Although she may not have the words to describe her experience, Florence still has to deal with her new husband, Edward. She dances around the topic as often as she can, but when she’s confronted directly with sex, her fears are awakened. She even tries to think about a compromise with Edward so that he can meet other women to fulfill this need. Although she loves Edward very much, she knows that she may never be enough for him. This is something that many people on the asexual spectrum still have to go through – the need for a partner who is willing to move outside the realms of a traditional dynamic.

What does At Chesil Beach Uniquely different from a romantic film is the depiction of sex.We’ve seen awkward sex scenes in comedic ways in movies, but this is awkward in a deeply uncomfortable way. Edward and Florence are both young and inexperienced and haven’t learned much about sex – they fiddle with their clothes, Florence takes constant breaks, and Edward remains frustrated and insecure. The scenes are long, drawn out and have no score, creating a haunting and equally unpleasant viewing experience. Ultimately, everything collapses, disintegrating into chaos and leaving the couple confused, frustrated and defeated.

People hear a lot about this, but it’s almost never shown that the first time is always the worst. Sex is often portrayed as an incredible expression of love and passion, as well as something that creates life. In addition, it can also be uncomfortable, vulnerable and uncomfortable. The weight of expectation that both Florence and Edward feel does not improve their situation. They quickly realize that their marital experience did not meet the expectations that society and their loved ones had for them. When Florence escapes to the beach, no one can talk constructively about the subject, especially not Edward. Florence can’t bring herself to talk about her trauma, Edward lets his temper get the better of him, and in a catastrophic conversation the marriage ends bitterly.

For this doomed couple, pictured in At Chesil Beachthe two never see each other again. Life goes on, and Florence eventually finds a new husband and even has a daughter with her – which ended up being a situation that worked, although we’re never told exactly how. The final act of this film focuses on Edward wallowing in his regret over that fateful night with Florence. They’ll both have to think about the one conversation that ended their marriage and perhaps wonder if there was anything they could have done to save it. Although Florence and Edward were damaged people, they were happy together. They simply didn’t realize the extent to which they wouldn’t function until they were both emotionally and literally moved out. It’s this deep vulnerability in intimacy that matters At Chesil Beach so heartbreaking.

At Chesil Beach is available to stream on Apple TV+ in the US

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