Starting off this week with two British period dramas available on most sites to rent.

‘The Personal History of David Copperfield’ is Armando Ianucci’s loose take on the classic Dickens tale. Copperfield’s rise from destitution to wealth and back again is bought to life in a vibrant and rambunctious style. The cast is full of talented performers bringing familiar characters to life, notably Peter Capaldi (Mr Micawber), Hugh Laurie (Mr Dick), Tilda Swinton (Betsey Trotwood) and Ben Wishaw (Uriah Heep). But it is Dev Patel in the title role who carries the movie. He brings a warmth and humanity to the role, and his grounded portrayal is needed amongst the more exaggerated characters surrounding him.

Dickens purists may baulk at the liberties taken with the story and others may froth about the ethnically diverse cast, but I found it to be a delight. It can rank amongst the finest Dickens adaptations: David Lean’s Oliver Twist and Great Expectations and the baffling neglected Christine Edzard’s masterly six hour Little Dorrit.
Rating: 9 out of 10

The latest version of Jane Austen’s ‘Emma’ is a much more traditional affair, though Anna Taylor-Joy does bring a fresh and modern sensibility in the title role. Most of the rest of the cast are pretty bland with the notable exceptions of Bill Nighy (Mr Woodhouse) and Miranda Hart (Miss Bates) although they very much play to type.

It is nicely shot and handsomely mounted, but ultimately feels a little unnecessary.
Rating: 6 out of 10

Also new to rent is ‘The Ground Beneath My Feet’. An ambitious business consultant, Lola, struggles to hold things together in the face of work pressures, a secret relationship with her boss and her schizophrenic sister’s suicide attempt.

It is hard to categorise this film. It frequently seems to be on the verge of turning into a Hitchcockian thriller but then takes a different turn altogether. It is always intriguing, and Valerie Pachner is very good as Lola, but ultimately it is a little frustrating.
Rating: 6.5 out of 10

Over on Netflix this week, documentary ‘Disclosure’ is a topical look at how transgender people have been depicted in film and on TV. Slickly made with a wealth of clips, ‘Disclosure’ is eye opening at times, especially when showing how often transgendered characters are subjected to violence on screen.

However, it did feel a little stretched at feature length.
Rating: 6 out of 10

Also on Netflix is ‘Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga’. Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams star as an Icelandic duo who fluke their way into representing their country at the Eurovision Song Contest.

There aren’t many laughs to be had in the overlong two hour running time. There is a lot of reverence for the contest that is only mocked in the most gentle of ways. McAdams is always a welcome presence but, apart from Elf, I have never understood the appeal of Ferrell.
Rating: 4 out of 10

Lastly on Netflix is the curious ‘Adu’. In various parts of Africa, three stories unfold. A small boy, Adu (Moustapha Oumarou) tries to flee north to Spain from Cameroon. Gonzalo (Luis Tosar) is a charity worker trying to save elephants in the same country whilst also attempting to salvage his relationship with his daughter. In Morocco, Spanish border guards deal with the fallout from an incident where an African man died.

The stories are only vaguely linked and the structure feels quite unwieldy. Just by the title of the film you can tell where the makers’, director Salvador Calvo and writer Alejandro Hernandez, interest really lies, and that is by the most arresting segment. Gonzalo’s wildlife conservation efforts could have been as compelling but that part of his story is sidelined, and I could not care less about his spoilt daughter. The border guards plight seems both inconsequential and boring.

Those of a cynical bent might say that the latter two strands were tacked on to increase the white, Spanish, faces on screen.
Rating: 6 out of 10

Finally this week, Sky subscribers can see the nicely understated Driveways. A young boy (Lucas Jaye) and his Mum visit her late sister’s house to clear it out. Whilst there he forges a friendship with an elderly neighbour (Brian Dennehy).

Although a slight tale, this is beautifully written by Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen. Jaye looks like a star in the making and Dennehy, in one of his final roles, is outstanding. The final scene in particular is a masterclass in understatement.
Rating: 8 out of 10