A hidden gem on Netflix has been leaving viewers pleasantly stunned, with one fan admitting the period drama came as “a great surprise” they simply were not expecting. The 2018 costume drama Lady J has quietly built a loyal following among fans of Jane Austen-style romances, and it is not hard to see why.

Boasting an 85% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it was already a box office triumph in France upon release, yet many international viewers are only now discovering it. Set in 18th-century France, Lady J is adapted from a story within Denis Diderot’s 1796 novel Jacques the Fatalist.

At its heart is Madame de La Pommeraye, a young widow who has long made peace with the idea that she may never truly experience love. That all changes when the Marquis des Arcis pursues her, slowly convincing her that romance might not be beyond reach after all.

But when their affair goes sideways, she’s forced to hatch a scandalous plot involving another noble’s illegitimate daughter that takes everyone by surprise. It is exactly that kind of twist that has been catching viewers off guard. One IMDb reviewer summed it up perfectly, writing: “Lady J was such a great surprise for me to see.

“I was not expecting to like this movie and I had not heard of it before streaming it on Netflix, but I loved it. This movie was filled with beautiful, over-the-top, ornate sets and costume design, with intricacies that made almost every scene fit to be painted.” Another viewer called it “surprisingly romantic”, adding: “Among the things I love about this drama is the cinematography.

“Madame de La Pommeraye’s estate, especially where the chairs were placed overlooking the lake, is idyllic. It makes one wonder how people who live in such places could be anything but happy.”

Another fan echoed: “A piece of craftsmanship. The matching of home decoration with dresses is pleasing to the eye but most of all the plot is as unexpected as it is cruel and yet fair. The film was inspired by one of Diderot’s novels, an author whose books I never managed to read till the end in my teens.”

Director Emmanuel Mouret spoke to Eye For Film about creating the visual masterpiece, sharing: “All the costumes were made especially for the film. And as the costumes and the decor were being designed at the same time, I insisted particularly on two things.

“On the silhouette, that’s why we have costumes that are not overcharged and also on very simple sets so that the sets could be a bit like a screen for the silhouettes.

“That’s why we worked the colours of the costumes in accordance with the furniture and set colours. Contrary to some costume films of that time, we tried to show the modernity within that period. We tried to avoid things that would make it look old and faded and brown.”

The film stars Cécile de France as Madame de La Pommeraye, Édouard Baer as the Marquis des Arcis, Alice Isaaz as Mademoiselle de Joncquières, Natalia Dontcheva as Madame de Joncquières, and Laure Calamy as Lucienne, friend of Madame de La Pommeraye.

Lady J has an approval rating of 85% on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus reading: “Deliciously decadent, Lady J is a surprisingly subversive romance with incredible production values.”

Lady J is on Netflix