The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society

Image credit: Amazon UK

Though I have never actually been part of one, I honestly think that the invention of the book club is probably one of the most important and significantly underappreciated achievements in all of human history, next to the creation of novel itself. The idea of the binding power of literature is one that really strikes a cord with me personally and is also the central theme in Mike Newell’s charming British romance, The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society.

The film tells the story of free-spirited writer Juliet Ashton (Lily James) who travels to the island of Guernsey after she is contacted by one of its inhabitants asking for a book. Through correspondence she learns of the Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society, a book club established during the island’s occupation by German troops during the war, and she decides to write the society’s quirky story for an article. However, the members don’t wish their story to be told and Juliet soon finds herself trying to solve a wartime mystery that still haunts the island.

This has to be one of the sweetest and most wondrous films that I have seen in a long time. The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society is one of those impeccable British romances that treads the fine line between drama and comedy so gently and so beautifully that it makes you feel both elated and blissfully calm and happy by the end.

The film blends genres that we know go together as well as fuses them with others that one would not have considered working, and the entire thing proves to be a delicious recipe –unlike the featured potato peel pie. It begins as a light post-war drama, which then takes all the steps to become a romantic comedy. However, it takes a turn in the second act with the addition of the mystery of one of the central characters, which morphs it into this fascinating, almost gothic, romance: something that becomes even more interesting as this twist in the narrative reflects the plots of a few of the novels the book club discusses (e.g. Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre).

Image credit: Vulture

While the central romantic narrative is predictable, despite the number of curve balls it throws to the audience, the true relationship the film explores is the one forged between the heroine and the society, each individual member as well as a whole unit. These darling friendships are formed solely on the appreciation for books and the love of reading as well as the idea that everyone has a story to tell and this warm and deeply beautiful, human message is what makes the film so sweet, and delightful, and inspiring.

The charming and genuine performances mixed with a beautiful instrumental score and breathtaking scenic locations on the coast and the lush island cliffs makes you wish you could slip through the screen and be there, be part of it.

The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society is a film that I adored not for the way in which it was made, although that certainly plays a strong hand, but in the way it made me feel. It’s one of those truly gorgeous movies that takes you away from the stress of life and inspires you to continue to tackle it. A beautiful, beautiful film!

Director: Mike Newell, 2018

Cast: Lily James, Jessica Brown Findlay, Tom Courtenay, Michiel Huisman, Katherine Parkinson, Matthew Goode, Glen Powell, Kit Connor, Florence Keen, and Penelope Wilton