YMMV / Easy Virtue

• Adaptation Displacement: Sort of. Easy Virtue is known to have been a play first, but it was met with So Okay, It's Average reception in its first run, and only got two rather short revivals in 1988 and 1999. The 2008 film seems to have been more remembered. There was actually a previous silent adaptation in 1928, but of course the 2009 one eclipses that.
• Alternate Character Interpretation:
  • The ending is subject to this, as the director deliberately left it ambiguous. Even the actors disagree on what it means. Jessica Biel believes that Jim leaving with Larita is nothing romantic and that they are more kindred spirits - Jim simply taking this opportunity to escape from the house. Colin Firth meanwhile thinks the tango scene points to something romantic, especially since he takes over after John rebuffs her.
  • It's up in the air whether Hilda and Marion should be pitied - as they're clearly pawns in their mother's manipulations. But since Hilda in particular goes to great lengths to find dirt on Larita, it looks like Veronica didn't have to do much manipulation at all.
  • Is Veronica's revelation that the family is running out of money a moment that humanises her, or is it just another example of her hypocrisy? The family fortune was lost through her mismanagement. She's either a woman who was in over her head trying to cope with the trauma of a World War, or else a manipulator who demands that her young son fix the mess she made.
• Americans Hate Tingle: While overseas reviews of the 2008 film were mixed to positive, reception in the UK was extremely negative.
• Awesome Moments:
  • Larita obeys Veronica's wishes and turns up for the fox hunt. She rides on her motorcycle and lures the fox away from the dogs.
  • This fantastic Shut Up, Hannibal! response when Larita has finally had enough of Veronica's nonsense:
  Veronica: So speaks the Siren, leading the sailors to their deaths.
  Larita: At least I'm not Medusa turning them to stone.
• Best Known for the Fanservice: Jessica Biel and Kimberley Nixon do a performance of the can-can - in which it's revealed the latter is performing without underwear. It's one of the movie's signature scenes, even though we barely see anything apart from Hilda mooning the audience as she leaves the stage.
• Crosses the Line Twice: Larita accidentally killing the family dog by sitting on it. And she has to keep sitting down on the body to prevent any of the others from finding it.
• Fanon: It's widely agreed among viewers that John will marry Sarah out of convenience, and save the family with her dowry.
• Funny Moments: Hilda's performance of the can-can, where it's revealed that she is Going Commando. Although it acts as a Heel–Face Door-Slam for her, it's absolutely hysterical.
• Hollywood Homely: Hilda is supposed to be so ugly or at least plain that she's doomed to be an Old Maid. Kimberley Nixon is actually quite cute, and becomes positively stunning when she's dressed up for the can-can performance. Her personality might be a factor however.
• It's the Same, Now It Sucks!: Some reviews of the 2008 film noted the obvious casting choices of having Colin Firth and Kristen Scott Thomas in a British period piece (although some did point out that their roles did play around with some of their usual typecasting).
• Moral Event Horizon: Hilda goes from Ineffectual Sympathetic Villain to her mother's Beta Bitch by revealing that Larita was on trial for the death of her husband. Despite knowing at least some of the circumstances - he was dying of cancer - she gleefully uses it to discredit Larita.
• She Really Can Act: Although Jessica Biel had showed that she was able to do something different from Ms. Fanservice or Action Girl roles in The Illusionist (2006), critics were pleasantly surprised with her performance here.
• Tear Jerker: This exchange between John and Larita right before Larita walks out on him.
  Larita: You should have loved me more.
  John: I couldn't have loved you more.
  Larita: Then you should have loved me better.
• The Woobie:
  • Larita, once her full backstory is revealed. She was genuinely in love with her first husband and had to assist his suicide rather than allow cancer to kill him. Add this to the fact that she spends the whole story getting antagonised by her in-laws and the poor woman needs a hug.
  • Jim, considering he's a Shell-Shocked Veteran who is forced to stay with a wife he hates and two equally rotten daughters, all for the sake of appearances and propriety.