A film as clumsy as its title

Rating: 2/10 (12 August 2018)

The novel-based "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" is the most recent work by BAFTA-winning filmmaker Mike Newell, who is in charge of directing here, and the adaptation is by several writers (you know where you find them) and it is always a bit shocking to see so many coming up with such a mess to be honest. Anyway, first things first: Main character is played by Lily James and while her other big film this year (Mamma Mia 2) is a contender for 2018's finest, this one here is the exact opposite. I would not really blame her or the other cast members too much (more known names here too) as the film's biggest problem is the script. Let me add that I am writing this review as somebody who has not read the novel this is based on, so not sure where the problem lies exactly, but it feels like another Rosamunde Pilcher film most of the time.
The key story of her being so attracted by the book club in the title feels false and just not authentic most of time. Also there seems to be a great deal of filler material in these way too long over 2 hours in my opinion. There is not one scene that really impressed me. Even if the acting is decent, like when she breaks up with the American at the end, there are other deficits in exactly these scenes like that it really all feels just to please the audience and not to feel realistic or authentic. I hoped she would stay with him to deliver in this department finally at least one bit, but it just isn't happening. It's a massive problem. And don't even get me started on the wedding proposal eventually. There was virtually nothing between these two to be fair. Her reading was just as bad and how she is accepted by everybody all of a sudden afterwards after the initially critical reactions, especially by the older lady, and well her final comment about tearing up is hardly funny or likable at all. Same for the death of the other central female character who we only meet in flashbacks. Nothing feels right here. I literally never had the impression that I was watching actual people and not people pretending to be somebody else and yes like I said I would not blame the actors, but the weak writing, especially when it comes to dialogues. Also quite a shame to see a really talented actor like Matthew Goode wasted like this. What was with his gay-themed story line and him acting straight towards the main character anyway? Very weird.
Going back to the beginning and the title, it needs to be said that the way it was created felt just as bizarre as these scenes with the actual potato peel pie and how everybody finds it funny how disgusting it is. Yeah well, I could be talking about a dozen other scenes as well now, but I think you are getting my approach by now already. I think you must really like cheesy films based on English literature to see any value in this one here. If you don't, then do yourself a favor and skip the watch. I also wish I could unsee it and I was really mostly wasting my time there. Huge disappointment this movie and I am baffled by the rating and reception. No good.