▁the ▁film ▁as ▁an ▁" ir res ist ible ▁rom antic ▁mystery " ▁and ▁award ing ▁four ▁stars ▁out ▁of ▁five . ▁He ▁also ▁comm ended ▁New ell ' s ▁ensemble ▁cast , ▁particularly ▁K atherine ▁Park inson , ▁saying , ▁" he ▁gives ▁each ▁of ▁his ▁cast ▁members ▁just ▁enough ▁room ▁to ▁stretch : ▁a ▁broad ▁g ag ▁here , ▁a ▁h ushed ▁mon olog ue ▁there , ▁and ▁in ▁Park inson ’ s ▁case ▁both ▁at ▁once ." ▁Anna ▁Smith ▁of ▁Metro ▁also ▁gave ▁the ▁film ▁four ▁stars ▁and ▁pra ised ▁the ▁performances ▁from ▁Tom ▁Cour ten ay ▁and ▁Park inson ▁as ▁" class y ". ▁However , ▁she ▁considered ▁the ▁sub plots ▁too ▁" cluster ed " ▁and ▁noted ▁the ▁film ' s ▁two - hour ▁runtime ▁for ▁being ▁" to o ▁long ". ▁Peter ▁Brad sh aw ▁of ▁The ▁Guardian ▁awarded ▁the ▁film ▁two ▁out ▁of ▁five ▁stars , ▁calling ▁it ▁" na ive " ▁and ▁" a ▁gl ut in ous ▁ 4 0 s - period ▁exercise ▁in ▁British ▁rom - d ram ▁solemn ity ". ▁Wend y ▁Ide ▁of ▁The ▁Ob server ▁also ▁gave ▁two ▁stars , ▁critic ising ▁it ▁as ▁an ▁adaptation ▁saying ▁" even ▁fans ▁of ▁the ▁source ▁novel ... ▁might ▁struggle ▁with ▁this ▁phot ogen ic ▁but ▁lab oured ▁adaptation ." ▁She ▁also ▁noted ▁the ▁casting ▁as ▁" hit - and - miss " ▁and ▁" the ▁pl od ding ▁story t elling ▁re lies ▁on ▁large ▁ch unks ▁of ▁ex position ".