Anton Chekhov’s play “The Seagull” is an acclaimed classic — despite a debut performance in 1896 that was roundly booed and convinced the author to forego his writing for a time — and has been translated into several films, including a new one which was actually filmed in 2015 but only released in 2018.  It is a typically Russian play, dealing with wonderful moments and gentle indignities of life, joy and miseries of romance, the inevitability of mortality and the finality of death.  Ostensibly it is a comedy (Chekhov thought it so) but I am hard-pressed to find any amusements within its form.

Michael Mayer’s film is a handsome production, taking full advantage of the scenic lake setting, where family and friends of renowned actress Irina Arkadina (Annette Bening) gather at her brother Sorin’s (Brian Dennehy) lodge for summer holiday.  Her son Konstantin (Billy Howle) debuts a play of his own, but when Irina ridicules it Konstantin ends it prematurely.  Konstantin loves Nina (Saorise Ronan) but she likes writer Boris Trigonin (Corey Stoll), who is Irina’s lover; other, similar relationships foment among the staff and guests of the lodge, mostly unrequited or unwelcome, until the inevitable tragedy strikes.

While the situations and characters are interesting and the performances are strong, I found myself disliking the film because I dislike Irina so much.  The veteran actress is at the center of the drama and her self-centered, dispassionate desire to not be bored is the main factor in everyone else’s unhappiness.  Her selfish, willful actions destroy or seriously harm the people closest to her — although some of them are just as culpable for what occurs as Irina.  All of this is conveyed dramatically well, but I found it distasteful rather than fascinating, and I must admit that Chekhov’s symbolism is simply beyond me.

If Irina was presented as a flawed character I might feel softer about her, but her willful cruelty and selfishness really turned me off.  My view is that at the end, she is at fault for what happens and I have little pity for her.  But there is no joy at the suffering she will face, and no real reward for the 98 minutes I have just spent watching all of this unfold.  The play may be an acclaimed classic, but this film, which seems like a faithful adaptation, is not something I can recommend.  ☆ ☆.  19 June 2018.