Wild Mountain Thyme

The dialogue in Wild Mountain Thyme is stuffed with dusty old Irish sayings passed down through the generations. Many of them are from a bygone era, and their charm has dwindled over time.

That description likewise fits this stylish period piece — a bland and innocuous fairy-tale romance about star-crossed lovers caught in the middle of land dispute among neighboring farm families with deep roots and checkered legacies.

Rosemary (Emily Blunt) has secretly pined for Anthony (Jamie Dornan) since they were children, having grown up on adjacent rural parcels. The insecure Anthony has remained a loner rather than entertaining Rosemary’s advances, initially urging her to flee Ireland. “It’s a terrible place for a decent person,” he cautions.

Anthony’s hesitance stems in part from his volatile relationship with his widowed father (Christopher Walken), who has declared his intention to sell the family farm to American financier Adam (Jon Hamm) rather than leaving it to his son.

When he arrives from New York, Adam immediately woos Rosemary, even as the land deal hits a snag. That seems to awaken Anthony to his true feelings for her, although his sudden affection might be too late.

The evocative film captures its idyllic setting with rolling hills and picturesque prairies, transporting us practically to a different world, far removed from urban hustle and bustle, where people still practice a simpler way of life steeped in cultural traditions and religious heritage.

However, the bittersweet screenplay by director John Patrick Shanley (Doubt) — adapted from his stage play — doesn’t supplement that visual backdrop with much dramatic tension. Forced to confront contemporary socioeconomic realities, the characters aren’t as compelling as the world they inhabit.

The central relationship puts a twist on traditional big-screen gender stereotypes. She’s headstrong, and he’s vulnerable. But it doesn’t go much deeper than that.

Some of their scenes together are lovely, yet Blunt and Dornan never generate sufficient chemistry to garner emotional investment from viewers. And unfortunately, a woefully miscast Walken having a go at an Irish accent might yield some unintentional chuckles.

Wild Mountain Thyme hints at more sweeping epic aspirations, even tossing in snippets of “Swan Lake” for emphasis. But overall, its melancholy whimsy never conjures the intended spark.

Rated PG-13, 102 minutes.