Overview
A solitary writer discovers unexpected companionship amidst the chaos of war.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- wistful
- intimate
- thoughtful
- quiet evening
- rainy day
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film moving and emotionally sincere, with Gemma Arterton's performance supplying heat to a familiar and low-stakes wartime romance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Alice and Vera's relationship unfolds under the pressures of prewar and wartime British society.
Frank's arrival as a London evacuee brings the consequences of World War II into Alice's coastal home.
Older Alice's perspective frames the story of her younger self, Vera, and Frank.
Alice's home on the seaside cliffs of southern England provides the film's defining visual environment.
Films like Summerland, and why
Atonement
shared wartime romance, emotional loss, and restrained period drama
The Danish Girl
shared queer romance, social repression, and wistful historical melodrama
The Aftermath
shared intimate wartime setting, forbidden love, and emotionally direct storytelling
Movie Details
- Director
- Jessica Swale
- Release Date
- 2020-07-24
- Runtime
- 99 min
- Rating
- 7.5 / 10 (234)
Cast
- Gemma Arterton
- Gugu Mbatha-Raw
- Penelope Wilton
- Tom Courtenay
- Lucas Bond
- Dixie Egerickx
- Siân Phillips
- Amanda Root
- Jessica Gunning
- David Horovitch
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, Sundance Now, AcornTV Amazon Channel, Acorn TV Apple TV channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Summerland about?
- A guarded seaside writer finds unexpected family and renewed connection when a wartime evacuee enters her solitary life.
- What is Summerland like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Summerland as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Summerland violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Summerland.
- What did critics think of Summerland?
- Critics broadly found the film moving and emotionally sincere, with Gemma Arterton's performance supplying heat to a familiar and low-stakes wartime romance.
- Which films are like Summerland?
- Films with a similar feel include Atonement, The Danish Girl, and The Aftermath.
- How long is Summerland?
- Summerland runs 99 minutes.
- Where can I watch Summerland?
- In United States, Summerland streams on Philo, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, Sundance Now, AcornTV Amazon Channel, Acorn TV Apple TV channel.
