Gemma Arterton Becomes Frears' 'Tamara Drewe'

I haven't seen enough of Gemma Arterton - and most likely, neither have you - to say whether or not she's worth the build-up. Probably the last time a young British starlet emerged like this was Keira Knightley, who, it is safe to say, has turned out to be a much better investment than you would've thought six years ago. In fact, it's hard to imagine Atonement and The Duchess even existing without her. We'll see what the future holds for Arterton, but at the very least, we know she'll be busy. The other Bond girl from Quantum of Solace, Arterton will appear in Clash of the Titans and Prince of Persia next year, as well as a new Wuthering Heights, so by the time Tamara Drewe rolls around, we'll have a better idea of what she can do. Drewe is a live-action adaptation of the graphic novel by Posy Simmonds being directed by Stephen Frears, which is a bit like giving I.M. Pei a bunch of scrap metal and wondering if he can make it work. Frears is the real deal, and for a guy with two Oscar nominations for Best Director and High Fidelity in the last 20 years, he sure doesn't get that kind of respect in most circles. I like this project for Frears, who once admitted to me he never has any idea what his next project will be. Of course, he said that about two months before signing up to make The Queen, so clearly, that philosophy works for him. But he's never been a guy who makes a lot of similar films and I wouldn't say his style is so obtrusive that you're aware it's his work. He serves his stories, and if you can do that, you can direct just about anything, so long as you know your strengths. For this project, produced by BBC Films and the UK Film Council, Frears will lean heavily on the 23-year-old Arterton, playing "a sexy woman who returns to her rural place of birth and kicks up a fuss when emotions run high among the locals." It's a modern version of Thomas Hardy's Far from the Madding Crowd, and the cast now includes Dominic Cooper and Luke Evans, as well. Production begins later this month, and that could mean a late 2010 run - maybe a festival appearance or two - or it could be held back for the 2011 Sundance season. In any event, it will be a change in style for Arterton, and a full-fledged leading role as opposed to a damsel. And then we can see if she's got the stuff.