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RESTORATION – James Newton Howard

January 2, 2026 Leave a comment

THROWBACK THIRTY

Original Review by Jonathan Broxton

Restoration is a period drama film directed by Michael Hoffman, adapted from the 1989 novel of the same name by Rose Tremain. The film is set during the Restoration period in England, which began in 1660 when Oliver Cromwell’s Commonwealth – which had overthrown the monarchy of King Charles I a decade or so previously – came to an end and Charles II was restored to the throne as king. The restoration was known for its cultural renewal, scientific curiosity, and political change, but also for its sometimes vulgar and obscene decadence, something which stood in polar opposition to the dourly stringent and sometimes cruel Puritan morality that Cromwell enforced during his time in power. The story follows the experiences of Robert Merivel, a young aspiring physician from a lowly background who, after he inadvertently saves the life of the king’s dog, is summoned to the royal court, and quickly becomes surrounded by a new world of wealth and indulgence. Read more…