Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 61% (Critics) / 53% (Audience)
Directed By: Neil Jordan
Written By: Moira Buffini
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Gemma Arterton, Sam Riley
Studio: IFC Films

Synopsis: Residents of a coastal town learn, with deathly consequences, the secret shared by the two mysterious women who have sought shelter at a local resort. – (Source)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zu2cW7AhO8
The Good:
This movie succeeds on the strength of the performances of its two leading ladies. As Eleanor, Saoirse Ronan was as reliably good as she has proven to be in her short acting career as the type of vampire we are used to seeing in films: not happy with her existence and never reveling in the power that come with the curse. Despite looking like a teenage girl she perfectly conveys the weariness of someone who has been alive (and not enjoying it) for a few hundred years.
As much as I liked Ronan’s performance she was outshone by Gemma Arterton as Clara in a surprisingly great performance. She was a ferocious predatory vamp who seemed to be much more at ease with who and what she was than Ronan’s Eleanor but there was still always a sadness and vulnerability underneath her outward bravado.

The Bad:
The relationship between Ronan’s Eleanor and Sam Riley’s Darvill never clicked for me and was more of a time waster than something I was supposed to be rooting for. I would have preferred more time be spent on the dysfunctional relationship between Ronan and Arterton.
Also Director Neil Jordan seemed to be going for some sort of feminist allegory using the patriarchal vampire society’s less than progressive views on women but it came across as muddled and not nearly as interesting as it should have been.

The Ugly:
The way folks became vampires in this movie was the most ridiculous thing I have seen in a while. It was so over the top in its desire to be all Gothicly romantic that it just came across as goofy.

Final Verdict: A respectable attempt at putting an original spin on the well worn vampire genre that never really achieves its seemingly loft goals but does feature two really good and entertaining performances from its lead actresses.

Grade: B-