I haven't read the book, but from the little I've been told about it, I think it would be a pretty interesting book, which I'll have to read for myself and forget this boring attempt of an adaptation. The movie was slow and was filled with too many dull and boring conversations. I really commend anyone who had their eyes open throughout the entire movie. I gave this 2, in honour of the potentials this film had.

I gave this movie 2 stars for historical accuracy and scenery. Artistic to me means slow and not to much of a happy ending. I think Hollywood worries we will think they are vapid dancing monkeys if they like the happy endings stuff. This is one of those movies done so they can feel academic and above the fray. They did a great job. I've watched it and now I feel like my life is shorter and possibly not worth it. Maybe I'll go watch The Mummy to put a smile on my face. It may not be artistic but it makes me laugh.

Poor orphan Philip (Sam Claflin) was taken in and raised by his rich cousin Ambrose. Ambrose is sent to Italy for the sun by his doctors and he marries his cousin Rachel Ashley (Rachel Weisz). Philip receives a hidden message begging for help but Ambrose is dead by the time he arrives. He suspects Rachel of foul play but soon falls head over heals for her. Despite his godfather Kendall (Iain Glen)'s protest, he gives the family estate over to her. Louise (Holliday Grainger) is Kendall's daughter.Philip is an infuriating character. I would believe it if the story writes in a love potion from Rachel. He is a crazy concoction of reckless naivety, puppy love, and jealousy. He is a maddening character as the protagonist. It's well acted but they are not an appealing couple. It is beautifully filmed. It's a maddening tale of human fallibility.

"My Cousin Rachel" based on the Daphne Du Maurier is a satisfyingly traditional murder mystery with a did she or didn't she riddle at its heart and an equally traditional love story thrown-in for good measure.The "she" in question is of course the Rachel of the title, played by Rachel Weisz, as the recently dispossessed widow of the adored cousin of Philip Ridley, a young man soon to come of age and who by dint of his cousin's failure to leave a will and the archaic law of the time which meant a man's estate must bypass his wife and in the absence of any children go to his nearest male relative, inherits everything.However a cryptic note from beyond the grave which reaches him casts doubt on the widow's part in the deceased cousin's death and fired up by rage and revenge, young Ridley determines to have it out with her only to fall victim to her older, feminine wiles as a relationship starts to blossom between them. All goes well, until the day she gives him the ultimate coming-of-age birthday gift and then suddenly it seems changes towards him, as he gallantly if impetuously makes her a gift of the estate. Worse yet, he starts to fall ill just like his cousin before him and finally starts listening to the warnings coming from his guardian and his daughter, Louise, the latter of whom is obviously in love with him.There are a fair number of plot holes to be overlooked if you want to enjoy the film, like the way incriminating beyond-the-grave letters keep turning up from his late cousin, the way that Ridley falls ill just like his cousin did, seemingly after tasting Rachel's very own special brew and why the keen rider that she is couldn't keep her horse away from a not-that- dangerous cliff-edge. Perhaps I'm reading too much into that little glint in the eye of Louise at the end-credit sequence with her now safely married to her man, but I think her possible culpability, however faint, seems a more plausible outcome than Rachel's apparent innocence after the latter leaves such a guilt-ridden trail.Nicely shot in and around pretty English scenery and country house locations, well acted by Sam Claflin as the besotted young man and Weisz as the femme fatale, so long as you can excuse the various liberally-strewn red-herrings on display this was an entertaining enough, if far-fetched melodrama perhaps more redolent of old-fashioned story-telling movie-making of several decades ago, which I didn't mind at all.