"Mixed Irish Drama"

What You Need To Know:
Rated PG, THE BOOKSHOP is fairly clean. It does have three light obscenities and a scene with slightly provocative cartoons on some greeting cards. The problem is, the movie has a strong Romantic worldview about pursuing dreams as a means to happiness. THE BOOKSHOP has strong pro-capitalist elements and light moral elements of opening a business and demonstrating courage amidst trials and obstacles. These positive elements are mitigated by strong feminist elements. Also, Florence doesnāt always have a positive influence on young Christine. Overall, therefore, MOVIEGUIDEĀ® advises extreme caution.
Content:
More Detail:
In THE BOOKSHOP, set in 1957 in Northern Ireland, a widowed woman wants to realize her dream to open a bookshop in the little town where she grew up, but each person she encounters there emphatically declares they donāt like reading.
Florence Green loves books and wants to honor her late beloved husband because they met in a bookstore. Florence attends a fancy party, where she learns that many rich people in the town have different plans for her and the house sheās transforming into her bookshop. Florence leaves the party feeling like a laughing stock in the town for even attempting to pursue this dream.
Enlisting the help of some boy scouts, Florence gets her bookshop running. She also hires a 12-year-old girl, Christine, who hates books but has a change of heart after she works regularly at the shop. People in town also begin loving the bookshop, including Edmund, a fellow widower who has the same love of books as Florence, but hasnāt read a good book in many years. After Florence ships him several books sheās read, he invites her to his home, and the two become friends. One of the books is Ray Bradburyās brilliant FAHRENHEIT 451, but another book is Vladimir Nabokovās notorious novel LOLITA.
The only person who doesnāt like the bookshop, or Florence, is Violet Gamart, a rich and powerful woman who wonāt stop until she closes the bookshop and turns it into an arts center. Violet enlists the help of her nephew to write a new law that buildings must be uninhabited for at least five years before being occupied. Now being taken to court over the violation of this new law, Edmund asks Violet to stop her crusade, but she refuses. Having to leave her home and sell her business, Florence leaves town, to the chagrin of some and the happiness of others. A surprise twist at the end concludes the story in an unexpected and sad yet somehow satisfying way.
If moviegoers are looking for a fast-paced, plot twisting thriller, they wonāt find it here. The movie has a slow-moving plot, and viewers who donāt enjoy reading books wonāt appreciate Florenceās love for the written word. However, all viewers will be able to relate to Florenceās determination to realize her dream and make a difference in her town and society as a whole. Women in particular will forge a figurative bond with Florence for the many people (particularly men) who try to talk her out of running a business, because she couldnāt possibly know how to run one being a woman.
Emily Mortimer delivers a great performance of a strong, yet subtle female lead character. She doesnāt force her ideals on others, but by example silently influences everyone in town that reading expands the minds and, in turn, invites them into adventures they have never even imagined. This is different than most female modern characters who appear to force others into their way of thinking. Florence Green is a great role model for young women who dream big as well as for the naysayers who want her to dream small.
Itās clear from the movieās first five minutes, however, that THE BOOKSHOP is more than just a woman trying to run a business. Itās more about the tensions between traditional female roles and a strong female character who doesnāt fit societyās mold. The 1959 Irish setting, costumes and antique props enhance the ambience of the movie and adds to the culture prevalent during this time in history. A narrator who interjects Florenceās thoughts to the audience also adds to THE BOOKSHOPās artistic quality and overall entertainment value. Fans of DOWNTON ABBEY may enjoy this movie simply as an escape to a simpler time and will be equally entertained by the occasional comical quips of the characters.
THE BOOKSHOP is extremely clean and relatable. One scene of some slightly provocative cartoons sketched on some greeting cards in the bookshop is the movieās only sexual element. THE BOOKSHOP also has three light obscenities.
The problem is that the movie has a strong Romantic worldview about chasing and pursuing dreams as a means to personal happiness. A positive aspect to that, however, is the movieās suggest that, if you dream big enough, your dreams just might come true. THE BOOKSHOP also has strong pro-capitalist elements and light moral elements of trying to open a business and demonstrating courage amidst trials and obstacles from others. These positive elements are mitigated by the movieās strong feminist outlook. Also, Florence doesnāt always have a positive influence on young Christine.
Overall, therefore, MOVIEGUIDEĀ® advises extreme caution.
Now more than ever weāre bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. MovieguideĀ® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. Weāre proud to say weāve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. MovieguideĀ® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we canāt do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
MovieguideĀ® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.

Enjoy articles like this? Sign up for our mailing list to receive the latest news, interviews, and movie reviews for families: