An eccentric and well-born English family in the 1930's tries to cope with genteel poverty, while the two stunning teenage daughters of the family experiment with passion and romance.

Main thing you need to know: Romola Garai is not only lovely, she's an acting genius. Her fresh, innocent blond beauty rivets your attention, and she hits the right note in every scene -- curious, defiant, tender, lonely, confused, caring. She not only hits the right note, she often hits two or three right notes at once. Watch her animated facial expressions and you'll see she always gives you more than one emotion

The problem with this movie is that it tries to be too many things. One minute it's a sexy teen romance, like DIRTY DANCING (which also starred Romola Garai.) Then it's cerebral satire of long-forgotten intellectual types, like COLD COMFORT FARM. Then it's some kind of Masterpiece Theater type thing about newly rich Americans in England, and what fools they are for European elegance. Derivative themes and a thin plot with too many familiar stereotypes.

There are too many supporting characters, and aside from the luminous Romola Garai none of them are especially sympathetic. Marc Blucas was pretty good in JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB. Here he shows more muscle-power than talent. Henry Thomas is getting too old to be playing boyish and innocent. Bill Nighy as the eccentric dad has some authentic moments, but was a better patriarch in UNDERWORLD. ("Lycans, daughter. The lycans took my talent. Lucan and his kind . . spoiled my taste for f-f-f-fiction!")

There is one extremely interesting sub-plot about a local village lad the heroine thinks of as a friend, who worships her and is rejected. In an unexpected twist, a wealthy older woman seduces him and takes him to London, where he becomes a successful actor/model. The film handles this in a sensitive way, neither pitying the young man nor condemning him for giving in to his wealthy female protector. Unfortunately, this most interesting sub plot is only given a few minutes of screen time.

Summing up, then, this movie is something you must see only if you are a fan of the phenomenally talented Romola Garai. Other than that, it's really a hit or miss movie, and some parts are very thin.

A more modern Jane Austen type story of sisters without money and finding love. The countryside setting is charming and it is beautifully filmed.

The acting is good. The casting is good. Rose Byrne is pretty. Romola Garai acts well for a difficult complex role. The other supporting cast are good too. Sinead Cusack is an odd choice for an American. Henry Thomas looks a bit puffy.

The ending is more modern than Jane Austen in that it is not one of those typical feel good endings but it is slightly sad for the same reason. It is about realistic love not fairytale love.

This is worth watching for an unusual story and . Just a bit depressing at the end. The nudity was not necessary for the movie if they had left it out more people might have been able to see this movie.

"I Capture the Castle" is a coming-of-age flick (circa 1930) about a 17 year old English girl whose family takes up residence in a castle. A delightfully lyrical tale, the film spends time with the eccentric father suffering from terminal writer's block, the step-mother who likes to romp in the altogether, a sister who marries Cassandra's love, a handyman/boy who loves Cassandra, and sundry other characters. Humorous and plaintive, whimsical and surly, but always romantic, "...Castle" is a chick flick which scored well with males and critics as well. Worth a look for anyone into English period films about the awakenings in a young woman and unrequited love. (B+)