BBC iPlayer is currently showing an enchanting historical drama that viewers brand as flawless and unforgettable. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a film about a London writer who exchanges letters with a local from Guernsey Island, which had been under German occupation during World War 2. Juliet Ashton, the author, ends up taking a trip to the island, but secrets lead to her visit being much longer than planned.
The 2018 romance drama directed by Mike Newell is based on a 2008 novel of the same name by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, and often, you will find people say that the film adaptation of a book isn’t quite as good as the original. One reviewer claims the opposite.
On Rotten Tomatoes, where the film has an 81% score, a fan who has read the novel multiple times and watched the drama compared the two.
They wrote: “An enchanting story about love and friendships. I’ve reread the book several times and this is even better.”
Another viewer, who also rated the film five stars, described it as “perfect” and unforgettable.
They added: “Perfect. The kind of movie that’s so flawless you forget it’s a movie and get swept into the world the camera creates. Some might argue it’s not very groundbreaking, but I see it as heavily refined, classic cinema, and I think we could use more of it. 99/100.”
The adaptation, which stars Lily James, Michiel Huisman, Glen Powell, Jessica Brown Findlay, Katherine Parkinson, Matthew Goode, Tom Courtenay, and Penelope Wilton, was also praised highly by film critics.
The critics’ consensus reads: “Far more traditional and straightforward than its unwieldy title, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society offers delightful comfort food for fans of period drama.”
Top critic Empire Magazine wrote: “A well told, beautifully acted drama that offers nothing new but a comforting level of familiarity and cosiness.”
Sydney Morning Herald said: “While it’s mainly a love story, it’s also an act of homage to the stimulation and consolation to be had from books.”
The film is available to stream for free on BBC iPlayer if you have a TV licence, but you should be quick as it is only available on the platform for 23 days.
