There are SPOILERS ahead of The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society.
So, if you haven’t seen the enchanting romantic drama yet, then you should bookmark this article, log onto Netflix and do just that, before then returning to read Glen Powell’s comments below.
Mark Reynolds in “The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society” is exceedingly likable.
So much so that while we’re supposed to spend the film pining for Lily James’ Juliet Ashton to pair up with Michiel Huisman’s Dawsey Adams, the fact she is already engaged to Reynolds means that we know she is going to be fine even if their flirtation isn’t consummated.
Especially since Reynolds is played by the man-of-the-moment and all round nice guy Glen Powell.
Come the end of the film, though, Juliet decides to call off her engagement to Reynolds. It is at this point that we see the darkest side of the character, as he angrily asks for an explanation why before storming off.
But Reynolds being Reynolds, and Powell being Powell, you don’t fall out of love with the character for long. Because Reynolds quickly returns to Juliet, gives her a tender farewell kiss on the forehead, before then cheekily departing with a bottle of champagne.
I recently had the chance to speak to Glen Powell over the phone about Mark Reynolds and “The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society,” and he admitted that his departing smooch was actually hotly contested between himself and director Mike Newell.
“What is very fun about that moment is that was actually a very hotly contested moment between everybody.”
“You want him to be likable to a degree. I always looked at it for Mark as, he’s not taking this thing well because he is not wrong. He is like, ‘I don’t understand?’”
“And we always talked about this thing of how different Brits and American split-up. Because Americans are much more emotional creatures.”
“We’re hot, when people wrong us I think we immediately become fighters, where Brits become more passive and cold. They keep their pride in tact, while Americans want to fight.”
“In that moment, that’s what I wanted. I didn’t want to play it cool. I wanted to unravel a little bit. Then with the kiss on the head and stealing the bottle; I wasn’t supposed to kiss her on the head.”
“But the kiss on the head was something, I wanted it to be like the bait and switch. Where he comes back and you’re like, ‘He is such a great guy.’”
“But instead he’s, ‘Nope, I am taking this party somewhere else.’ It was always one of my favorite moments in the entire script. And Mike directed it beautifully. It ends up being one of my favorite moments in the movie, too.”
“The Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Pie Society” is now available on Netflix.
