SERENA

The latest film starring Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence is not comfortable viewing,but dark and atmospheric it most definitely is.

Set in the Smoky Mountains of North Carolina during the Depression, it is a story that starts quite simply: George and Serena fall in love, marry and begin to set up their life in the mountains. What starts as a passionate and loving marriage soon begins to deteriorate when a series of unfortunate events befalls the couple, and the past comes back to haunt George.

A sense of foreboding begins early in the film, and the captivating and wild shots of the mountains build the tension. Cooper and Lawrence are stunning, and Rhys Ifans is a surprise, putting in a very believable performance as a sinister and shadowy figure. By no means an uplifting story, but one filmed with brilliant technique and acted with intensity. (LGi)

2/5

Written by Lisa Seltzer