Grade: 63%
2020 Ranked - HERE

One of the last 2020 films I still wanted to see, Ammonite has two incredibly talented actresses in the lead roles but while there’s a lot to like, there’s also a lot lacking from the film. Francis Lee delivers an extremely subtle story about two women who end up romantically involved in the 1840s. Kate Winslet plays a stoic palaeontologist who meets Saoirse Ronan’s character after Ronan is put into her care, resulting in a romantic connection being formed between the two. It’s a very straightforward premise and the story as a whole doesn’t have a lot to it, there’s visual storytelling to convey emotions but I felt like it was way too subtle for its own good, it’s subtle at the expense of an interesting plot line with payoff. It’s visual stunning at some parts, Lee showcases this incredible setting and the set design is impressive to say the least, it’s a well-made film technically but the story drags on for the majority of the film and by the end I don’t think I got what I needed in order to say the relationship in the film felt effective. I definitely understand why this quickly disappeared from awards conversation, it’s a fine film and the two performances are subtly good but it’s a fairly forgettable romance without a ton to set it apart. Ammonite is a decent movie, it did have me feeling bored at times but other times I was mesmerized by some of the visual elements of the film, it’s not bad but it’s definitely very underwhelming.