The Honorable Mr. Jeremy Malcolm (Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù) is the most eligible bachelor in all of London who desires to be married. After an unpleasant evening at the opera with Ms. Julia Thistlewaite (Zawe Ashton), he never calls on her again, spoiling her reputation. Humiliated by his rejection, and a caricature of her that goes viral, Julia enlists the help of her cousin, Lord Cassidy (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), to find out why Mr. Malcolm didn’t pursue her further. She becomes enraged after finding out that he has a list of requirements and, more importantly, that she failed to meet them.
Determined to exact revenge, Julia invites her friend, Selina Dalton (Freida Pinto), to London for the remainder of the season. Her plan is to turn Selina into the perfect match for Mr. Malcolm so that when he falls for her, she can reject him by presenting her own list of requirements. Reluctant to participate, Selina eventually agrees to help her friend but becomes conflicted when she begins to realize that Mr. Malcolm is not the trifling heartbreaker that Julia claims he is.
Just as Selina and Mr. Malcolm are getting to know each other, Captain Henry Ossery (Theo James) enters the picture seeking out Selina at the request of his late aunt, whom Selina cared for in her last years. Selina and the captain are friendly, but his affections seem to be pointed in Julia’s direction. As the connection between Selina and Mr. Malcolm grows into love, Julia’s jealousy and rage blind her to not only her friend’s chance at true love, but also her own.
Based on the 2009 novel of the same name, Mr. Malcolm’s List is an entertaining story of revenge, friendship, and love. While not completely original, the Jane Austen-esque romantic comedy is full of great performances by an extremely diverse cast reminiscent of Disney’s Cinderella starring Brandy and Whitney Houston. The vision for director Emma Holly Jones was to have a cast that better represented the audience by bringing in the best available actor for each role. It’s safe to say that her vision pays off well on-screen with each actor individually, but especially collectively.
Some of the best moments in the film are when the principal cast shares the screen. With a screenplay by the book’s author Suzanne Allain, the actors had premium material to work with. The chemistry displayed between the characters as they interact is so well done. Pinto, who also executive produced, and Dìrísù are wonderful together. But, it’s Ashton that stands out a bit from her peers. Her portrayal of the self-centered Julia is so good that you can hardly wait for her manipulations to be discovered so she can be exposed for the nasty person she is. It’s almost unfair that Julia is even desired by James’ Captain Ossery. However, their flirtatious dialogue is well executed and creates an interesting secondary love story.
A female-led film, both in front of and behind the camera, Mr. Malcolm’s List does follow the typical rom-com format. This, however, does not make the film any less enjoyable. The fashion, locations, and performances from the cast all work together to create a fun experience worth watching again and again.
Mr. Malcolm’s List is now playing in theaters.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
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