Ammonite's title is deceptive, being not just about a fossil, but linking directly to the character of Mary Anning, hard and curled up against the world around her. Years of scouting beaches and digging in the dirt, only to have her work credited to men in London, has left her cold and brittle. The arrival of depressed young woman Charlotte however, soon challenges her countenance.
Filmmaker Francis Lee balances the grit and dirt of Mary's excavations with the high Victorian society Charlotte is from with ease and interesting perspective. The film is about downtrodden individuals, spurned by a number of issues from the period, gaining perspective that they're not as alone as they once thought.
Winslet and Ronan play excellently off each other, with Ronan taking on a role you can imagine a young Winslet would have played. Their performance culminates in one of the most intimate love scenes I've seen onscreen for sometime. Knowing that the two actors were allowed to choreograph this themselves with minimal interference is worthy as well, and shows care taken in crafting the relationship.
Clearly this film hasn't clicked with everyone, and it'd probably be best to leave any pre-conceptions of what a 'lesbian film' should include at the door. But if given a fair chance, 'Ammonite' could breathe new interest into the life of a British historic figure.
Review of Ammonite
