Rebecca (2020)

Director: Ben Wheatly
Stars: Lily James, Armie Hammer, Kristin Scott Thomas
Runtime: 121 minutes

Synopsis: A young newlywed arrives at her husband's imposing family estate on a windswept English coast and finds herself battling the shadow of his first wife, Rebecca, whose legacy lives on in the house long after her death.

Verdict: I'm always skeptical about remakes of classics that aren't entirely justified. "Rebecca" may be an adaptation of a known novel, but it's already been made for the big screen by one Alfred Hitchcock in 1940, famously earning him his only Best Picture win at the Academy Awards. I wasn't sure how to feel about this version, directed by Ben Wheatly and starring Lily James, Armie Hammer, and Kristin Scott Thomas, but I was going to give it the benefit of the doubt as it could always stand on its own two feet by introducing new ideas to the mix and serve as more of a reimagining than a retelling.

But my fears were quickly confirmed as we were treated to the sort of cheap romantic thriller one pops up at midnight when they are struck with insomnia. Aside from some interesting production design going on in the background, every aspect of it is a major downgrade from the Hitchcock classic that still holds up beautifully to this day. The acting is shallow, the characters uninteresting and two-dimensional (yes, even the iconic Ms. Danvers), the chemistry non-existent, the dialogue and delivery reminiscent of a Shonda Rhymes script. Even the atmosphere was utterly butchered as the presence of Rebecca is barely felt throughout the narrative, which is one of the essential reasons why Hitchcock's adaptation worked so well.

There's really not much else to be said about this film other than the fact that you'd be doing yourself a disservice by watching this version prior to the original. It's yet another Netflix original (?) that will be forgotten about by the end of the year and a mostly boring watch from start to finish.

FINAL GRADE: 3/10