Review: Tamara Drewe (15)***

Shot on location in Dorset, Tamara Drewe chronicles one turbulent year in the life of a young woman struggling to come to terms with the death of her mother.

Screenwriter Moira Buffini draws inspiration from Simmonds's illustrations to sketch finely detailed characters complete with moral flaws, retaining the spirit of the book while playing to the strengths of the cinematic medium.

Gemma Arterton is perfectly cast as London newspaper journalist Tamara, who returns to the cosy village of Ewedown to sell her late mother's cottage.

Blessed with a cosmetically sculpted new nose and a sense of style that sets her apart from her neighbours, Tarama turns the heads of the men folk. She hires childhood sweetheart and handyman, Andy Cobb (Luke Evans), to oversee repairs whilst encouraging lustful glances from celebrated thriller writer and serial philanderer, Nicholas Hardiment (Roger Allam), who treats his wife Beth (Tamsin Greig) like a skivvy.

Tempers flare when Tamara begins dating Ben Sergeant (Dominic Cooper), drummer and driving force behind rock band Swipe.

Meanwhile, Beth enjoys compliments from American scholar Glen (Bill Camp), who cannot disguise his admiration for everything that she does.

Bookmarked into four chapters representing the changing seasons, Tamara Drewe puts a joyful and sometimes darkly humorous spin on Thomas Hardy's Far From The Madding Crowd, with Arterton's sexy heroine at the centre of the bed-hopping and intrigue.