My Cousin Rachel

Rachel Weisz's titular widow remains inscrutable behind her dark veil in this gothic melodrama based on a Daphne du Maurier novel. Sam Claflin is dashing and dynamic as the young gent who inherits a country pile from his cousin, suspecting he may have been murdered by his Italian wife, Rachel. As soon as the lady wafts into the house, he becomes smitten. But is her affection genuine or is she only seducing him to gain control of the estate? Weisz is suitably enigmatic in her role, and the onus is on Claflin to keep us engaged despite his character's staggering naivety. Holliday Grainger brings gentle warmth as the sensitive yet steadfast girl that our lovestruck hero should be courting, while Iain Glen is a reliably solid presence as her father and executor of the estate. If Roger Michell's film doesn't quite spark and smoulder as it should, Claflin's brooding performance at least helps to draw you into the mystery.