Martin (Luchini) returned to rural Normandy to take over his father's bakery and find some balance in his life. "Fat chance," he sighs, as he makes up for the boredom by watching his neighbours. The newest arrivals are Charlie and Gemma Bovery (Flemyng and Arterton), and Martin is intrigued that they share names with characters in Madame Bovary, which is set locally. Immediately, he starts to see Gemma in light of her fictional alter ego, as she becomes involved with two neighbours: sexy old-money heir Herve (Schneider) and handsome married man Patrick (Raido).

Of course, the real story is Martin's obsession with Gemma, something his wife (Candelier) rolls her eyes at wearily. Filmmaker Fontaine tells the story mainly through Martin's eyes, which adds a frisson of complexity by blurring reality with his vivid imagination. Alas, switching perspectives and some tricksy plot-obscuring editing eliminate any sense of mystery. And the rather leery casting is another problem (Arterton is 29, Flemyng 48 and Luchini 63). The actors just about overcome this, because they invest some deeper interest in the characters, but the camera mauls Arterton like a predator.

Enjoyably, most characters have vivid personalities (including the dogs Gus and Carrington). Luchini is both lively and pathetic, while Schneider and Raido are charming and elusive. Arterton is bubbly and likeable, and even feistier than Flaubert's heroine. Oddly, the uneven approach leaves several characters on the fringe of the action, including Charlie, Martin's surly teen son (Klein) and a friendly local couple (Zylberstein and Torrens).

The film works best in its offhanded moments, such as when Gemma runs on a treadmill in her attic when she has expansive countryside all around her. These kinds of glimpses say something interesting about the kind of complacency that lets you lower your guard, seeking the easiest route to instant happiness. Linking infidelity to boredom, loneliness and the need for an illicit thrill isn't particularly original. But at least the film has enough talent in front of and behind the camera to make the story engaging.

themes, language, sexuality

27.May.15