Easy Virtue

2008
PG
1h 37m

IMDb RATING

6.6/10

23K

YOUR RATING

Colin Firth, Kristin Scott Thomas, Jessica Biel, and Ben Barnes in Easy Virtue (2008)

A young Englishman (Barnes) brings his glamorous American bride (Biel) home to meet his family, and she arrives like a blast from the future, blowing their entrenched British stuffiness out the window.

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Comedy Romance

A young Englishman marries a glamorous American. When he brings her home to meet the parents, she arrives like a blast from the future - blowing their entrenched British stuffiness out the w... Read allA young Englishman marries a glamorous American. When he brings her home to meet the parents, she arrives like a blast from the future - blowing their entrenched British stuffiness out the window.A young Englishman marries a glamorous American. When he brings her home to meet the parents, she arrives like a blast from the future - blowing their entrenched British stuffiness out the window.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.6/10

23K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 wins & 6 nominations

Videos1

Trailer 2:02

Easy Virtue

Photos62

+ 56

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Genius

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
In the vintage Monte Carlo scene which opens the movie, when Larita first sees John, both her and John's movements are slowed down while the rest of the cast play at "normal" (i.e. newsreel) speed. This was accomplished by filming the crowd, Larita, John, the background, and the foreground mechanics separately against greenscreen and compositing them together at different speeds.

Goofs
(at around 17 mins) Sarah Hurst describes Larita as "our beautiful cougar," meaning a seductress of younger men. The first known use of "cougar" in this context appeared in Canada in 1989, and the term did not become widely known until the 2000s.

Quotes
Mrs. Whittaker: Smile, Marion.
Marion Whittaker: I don't feel like smiling.
Mr. Whittaker: You're English dear, fake it.

Crazy credits
The band playing the closing music calls out its members' names.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: Terminator: Salvation/Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian/Easy Virtue/Summer Hours/Not Forgotten (2009)

Soundtracks
Mad About the Boy
Written by Noël Coward
Published by Chappell Music Ltd. (PRS)
All rights administered by Chappell & Co. Inc.
Licensed courtesy of Warner Chappell Music Ltd.
Performed by Jessica Biel with The Easy Virtue Orchestra

User reviews94

Review

Featured review

8/10

A thoroughly enjoyable British comedy.

John Whittaker (Barnes) is travelling and falls in love with beautiful American divorcée, Larita (Biel). After spontaneously getting married, John brings her back to his stately home in England, where although many warm to her, she is largely frowned upon – especially by his formidable mother, Veronica (Scott Thomas), who makes her stay as uncomfortable as possible. Based on the original play by Noel Coward, 'Easy Virtue' encompasses sharp wit, romance and drama; and although it is set in 1920s England, it is far from the typical period drama that might be expected. The soundtrack is slightly risky in places with its rearrangement of contemporary songs to period-music; but this can be overlooked for everything else the film has to offer. Firth supplies brilliant one-liners as the war-weary husband of Veronica. Biel has a captivating presence, bringing sexiness and classic Hollywood glamour to the screen; whilst Thomas, in total opposition, plays the stiff-upper-lipped English mother-in-law to perfection. A thoroughly enjoyable British comedy.