Gemma Bovery

Gemma Bovery is a comedy-drama about Martin, a former Parisian who has traded city life for a Norman village, where he runs his family's bakery. He is devoted to literature, above all the novels of Gustave Flaubert, and his imagination has remained far livelier than his daily routine. When an English couple settles on a nearby farm, Martin is struck by their names: Gemma and Charles Bovery, so close to the characters of Madame Bovary. Their behaviour seems to echo the novel as well, and Martin, seeing himself as a creator, becomes absorbed in the newcomers' lives. Gemma, however, has not read the classics and intends to live according to her own wishes rather than anyone's literary design.

Anne Fontaine directed and co-wrote the film with Pascal Bonitzer. It followed Adoration in her filmography and came before The Innocents, several years after Coco Before Chanel. Gemma Arterton plays Gemma, Fabrice Luchini plays Martin, and Jason Flemyng appears as Charlie, with Elsa Zylberstein, Isabelle Candelier and Niels Schneider in supporting roles. The production had a budget of about 10 million dollars and returned roughly 5 million dollars worldwide. On IMDb it holds 6.4/10 from around 7,300 votes, while on TMDB it has 6.2/10 from about 350 votes. A critics' rating of 6/10 from 89 reviews sits close to the audience scores.