Movie Review: The Jane Austen Book Club

Jane Austen Book Club (2007): Based on the book by Karen Joy Fowler

Director: Robin Swicold

Genre: Drama, Romance

Tagline: You don't have to know the books to be in the club.

Summary:

Explores Austen's adage that general incivility is at love's essence. Sylvia's husband dumps her for another woman, so Bernadette and Jocelyn organize a book club to distract her. They recruit Sylvia's daughter Allegra; Prudie, a young teacher whose marriage may be on the rocks; and Grigg, a sci-fi fan who joins out of attraction to Jocelyn. The six read and discuss one Austen novel per month. Jocelyn tries to interest Grigg in Sylvia; Allegra falls in love with a woman she meets skydiving; Prudie contemplates an affair with a student; Sylvia's ex keeps popping up. In the discussions, characters reveal themselves in their comments. By the end, are truths universally acknowledged?

My review: I first watched this movie when it first came out and was undecided. It wasn't my favorite. But I decided to watch it again after hearing some glowing reviews from my fellow Austen Challengers. I'm really glad I did! I really enjoyed seeing how six completely different people could find a way to relate to all of Austen's books. I loved seeing their different perspectives on life and how they applied Austen into their own mini universes. I don't know if I completely agree with how Daniel and Sylvia turn out, but I still found all six characters interesting and romantic! I just love Kathy Baker, Amy Brenneman, and Hugh Dancy. So please check this one out if you love Austen and love a good romance!

Interesting Trivia: Each cast member was required to read the Austen book their character was reading in the movie!

Memorable Quotes:

Bernadette: All Jane Austen, all the time. It's the perfect antidote.
Prudie Drummond: To what?
Bernadette: To life.

Grigg Harris: What about me? Am I your friend? Or am I just some widget to help you make Sylvia feel better about herself? Why did you invite me to be part of your book club? What went through your mind the first time you saw me? "There's a man who is dying to read every book Jane Austen ever wrote." Is that what you thought?
Jocelyn: No.
Grigg Harris: But I thought, "What a beautiful woman. I hope she looks over at me." I thought if I read your favorite books that you would read mine. But, no, no, no, no... You just want to be obeyed. That's why you have dogs.

Everything Austen Challenge: Movie Review: Miss Austen Regrets

This movie was smartly written and greatly acted. Olivia Williams makes a great Jane Austen as well as Greta Scacchi as her sister Cassandra. These were definitely the positives.

They decided to focus on the what-ifs of Austen's life. We only know of one marriage proposal that she received from Biggs-Withers. But this movie throws in a few more from some eligible gentleman. They portray Austen as turning them down in order to be independent and focus on her work. It's an interesting concept, but I don't buy it. I really don't think she found anyone she wanted to marry. I think she would have married had she had an excellent man to marry. So while the film itself is well done, I just can't agree with the concept. I just don't believe Miss Austen regretted...

Everything Austen Challenge: Movie Review: Clueless

Clueless, Grade: A-

When this movie first came out I was in high school and boy did it resonate with me (not that I was rich, etc...!), but the idea of becoming someone better, especially at the adolescent stage of life, just resonated with me. I didn't have any idea that it was based on Jane Austen's Emma til much later! So this movie has always been a little close to my heart!

Cher is a rich fifteen-year-old in LA, who's rich and popular and totally clueless! Just like her Emma counter part, Cher feels she is the queen of her domain and uses her charms to convince her teachers to give her better grades and ends up bringing two of her teachers together! Soon a new girl Tai moves in from the wrong side of town and Cher decides to befriend her and give her a makeover. And then there's her Mr. Knightley, Josh, who happens to be her ex-stepbrother. Will Cher get a clue or remain clueless???

This is a great modern adaptation of Emma, but more than anything it's just a great movie!

Everything Austen Challenge: Movie Review: Bride and Prejudice

Bride and Prejudice, Grade: A-

When this first came out I wasn't too sure about it...so I never saw it, but then I read someone else's review on this for the Everything Austen Challenge and I decided to give it a try! I'm sure glad that I did. It was smart, funny, and intelligent. I'm also a sucker for musicals...so that might throw some people off since they do spontaneously break out into song and dance throughout the show!

I loved the story retold through the Indian culture! Darcy was still conceited, "Caroline Bingley" vain and vapid, and "Lizzy" still as smart and witty as ever!

In this version Darcy is American and his family is really rich due to being in the hotel business and comes out with his friend "Bingley" and Bingley's sister (not the names in the movie) to attend a wedding. We meet "Mr. Collins" who is trying to break with his Indian roots and be "American." Darcy's mother wants to exploit India for her hotel business and looks down on "Lizzy" for being a "native." "Mr. Wickham" is also quite more devious in this one.
The costumes are beautiful as well as the cinematography. This director is also the director of Bend it Like Beckham, which is also a wonderful film. I highly recommend this adaptation of Jane Austen's beloved Pride and Prejudice!

Everything Austen Challenge: Movie Review: Pride and Prejudice (1995)

Pride and Prejudice (1995), Grade: A

I didn't even realize there was a 1995 version until I saw the 2005 version. So when I learned of it I went immediately to my library and borrowed it and soon after I bought the 10th Anniversary Special Edition. It's been a great addition to my DVD collection and my hubby even enjoys watching it with me!

Liked: The excellent cinematography, filming, and acting. Elizabeth, Lydia, Mrs. Bennett, and Mr. Darcy (Colin Firth), and Bingley were excellent!

Not-liked: The actors who played Jane and Wickam and Caroline Bingley. Jane wasn't the purported beauty that everyone said she was, no offense to the actress who played her, but Miss Ehle is just a much prettier lady. And I always pictured Wickam a little more handsome and dashing than the portrayal of Adrian Lukis. Caroline was a bit old for the part, I thought.

It's a wonderful adaptation and I absolutely love it!

Everything Austen Challenge: Movie Review: Northanger Abbey (2007)

Northanger Abbey, Grade: B+

I really enjoyed this version of Northanger Abbey. The 1986 version wasn't very well done, but this version was just delightful. The actor who plays John Thorpe...you just want to strangle them! I love the innocence of Catherine and how she wants to be good and yet she is so naive when it comes to society. We also get a better picture of Isabella and what kind of person she is...her foray with Captain Tilney. I just love the themes of Jane Austen. It's so important to marry for love (and hopefully money as well)!

Everything Austen Challenge: Movie Review: Emma (1996 TV)

Emma, Grade: B+

I must admit that I'm biased to the Gwyneth Paltrow version. It's the first one I saw and I fell in love with those portrayals of the characters. This movie also got me interested in reading the actual Emma so while I read it I imagined the characters from Gwyneth's version.

So I wasn't quite sure how I'd take to this version. I'm not a big Kate Beckinsale fan anyway (I thought Pearl Harbor was dreadful). So the first time I watched it I thought it was a bit boring and too long and I hated all the portrayals except for Harriet Smith (Samantha Morton is an amazing actress and she played Jane Eyre in the A&E version). But for this challenge I figured I'd give this one another go. It was a lot better the second time around! I think it has to do with reading Jane Austen For Dummies. I understood the story better from understanding the culture better and thus the dialogue became more witty.

And for some trivia: Mark Strong who play Knightley is the seventh brother in the movie Stardust. He's so hilarious in this movie; a comic genius towards the end!

So both are definitely great to watch and I added this version to my DVD collection as well! I'm so glad I took a second look at this version and am excited to reread the book and then rewatch the movies to see how things are different and similar!

Everything Austen Challenge: Movie Review: Mansfield Park (2007)

Mansfield Park (2007), Grade: B

I love all things Austen, so I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. But Mansfield Park isn't one of my top Austen novels. Fanny isn't my favorite heroine nor is Edmund my favorite hero. I think I enjoyed the older BBC version a lot better. In this version you don't quite get the abuse that Fanny has to endure while she's with her cousins. Aunt Norris is a horrible person, yet you don't quite get that feeling in this movie. And I just kept hoping that Edmund would wake up and smell the coffee when it came to Mary Crawford! He does, but it takes forever. The movie shows a lot of her and her brother as they talk of their schemes to marry into the family. Hayley Atwell was an excellent Mary Crawford. Fanny was played as more of a tomboy in this one. She seemed more of a genteel sort of personality in the other version. So all-in-all, it was a fun version and worth a view!

Everything Austen Challenge: Movie Review: Sense & Sensibility (2007)

Sense & Sensibility (2007), Grade: A

I love this version! I thought it was another great adaptation. This one is a bit longer than the Emma Thompson version so they were able to flesh out the characters a lot better. Though, I did miss Mr. Palmer in this one. Hugh Laurie was sooo wonderful.

I thought the actresses were well suited for the parts, you know, being younger than their previous counterparts! I'm wondering why they always feel that Marianne needs to be blond since she's supposed to be darker in the novel? The fencing duel between Willoughby and Colonel Brandon was very divine as well!

Both adaptations are spectacular! Give this one a try as well!

Everything Austen Challenge: Movie Review: Pride and Prejudice (2005)

Pride and Prejudice (2005), Grade: A+

I absolutely love this version of Pride and Prejudice! I enjoyed all the actors' representations of the characters in the novel as well.

My favorite parts:

1. I loved how real the costumes were and how the people looked. Most of the women weren't wearing a lot of makeup and they sweated when they danced. It didn't feel stagey to me.
2. Bingley was awesome in this. Just very fun and happy and loving like I always had pictured him. And Jane was actually a beauty in this one. Sorry but I didn't get that sense of her beauty in the P&P 1995 miniseries version (Lizzie was way better looking, IMO).
3. I just loved the chemistry between Matthew McFadyen and Keira Knightley. I felt their passions and prejudices and all of that. I loved the depiction of the first proposal, in the rain with the music and the passion! Love it!
4. Mr. Collins and Lizzie when he's proposing to her at the breakfast table; Lizzie at first is sitting behind the huge ham like she's the meat to be had by Mr. Collins! And the longing that Mary has on her face when Mr. Collins leaves after being refused by Lizzie!
5. Darcy and Lizzie's dance scene, just awesome. I love how everyone else dancing falls away at the end and they're the only two in the whole world!
6. I also love the scene where Lizzie, Jane, and Mr. Collins are dancing...so hilarious, Jane and Lizzie speaking to each other and Mr. Collins trying to dance (not doing very well) and talk to Lizzie! Hilarious!
7. The scene where Lizzie is with her aunt and uncle and they visit Pemberley and she sees the statues. They're beautiful and most of them are naked and it's just a great scene.
8. The scene where Darcy comes walking across the field at the break of dawn with that music after he finds out what his evil aunt did...!!! So amazing and beautiful and romantic!

My favorite version ever! Loved it!

Everything Austen Challenge: Movie Review: Persuasion

Persuasion, Grade B+:

It's been awhile since I've seen the earlier version of Persuasion, so I can't really compare it to that one other than I remember loving it as well! I really enjoyed this version too. It's one of my favorite Jane Austen books. The story of Anne Elliott who eight years previously had broken off an engagement with her true love Frederick Wentworth due to the persuasion of her godmother and father. I enjoy this book because Austen shows us what happens when the upper class choose to marry "beneath" themselves. She was young at the time and thus easily persuaded and has regretted her decision ever since. She is soon thrust back into Captain Wentworth's society and thus face her feelings for him once again and her decision to not marry him.

I love Anne's character. She has to put up with such a horrible family! I think all of Austen's heroine's must do that, but she's able to bear the burden with grace and style!

I didn't enjoy the lack of passionate kissing at the end from Wentworth. But other than that I think it was a great adaptation and I highly recommend it!

Everything Austen Challenge: Movie Review: Pride and Prejudice, A Latter-day Comedy

This is a very funny modern take on Austen's Pride and Prejudice. The writer thought the Utah Mormon culture for singles would be a funny modern update to Austen's world. And I would definitely have to agree since I'm a Utah Mormon who happened to be single at one time! So the jokes and references, I think, are a bit more funny if you know something of the culture, but I still say it's universal enough to watch for those who don't.

The story follows 26-year-old Elizabeth Bennett who is attending BYU and trying to get her first book published. Her roommates are Jane who's Argentinian, beautiful, and her best friend. The others include Lydia (the landlord of the home) and her sister Kitty (who's not so bright) and finally Mary (very religious, socially awkward and not much of a dater).

They end up at a ward dance hosted by the Bingleys where we are introduced to Darcy, a very snobbish Brit who thinks all the girls at the party are vapid and boring.

It's a very fun and interesting twist on this beloved tale! The acting can be a bit cheesy and the editing is a bit rough in a few spots, but overall I enjoyed this modern remake and I really enjoyed the fun music as well!

Everything Austen Challenge: Movie Reviews: Sense and Sensibility & Emma

I just watched two of my movies for the Everything Austen Challenge! I've watched these movies many times before and so it was fun to watch them again!

Sense and Sensibility: I watched the one with Emma Thompson and Hugh Grant. This is my favorite rendition of Jane Austen's classic. The acting is superb and many at least four of the actors went on to play various characters in the Harry Potter movies! OK, I was wrong, there are at least five! Elinor and Marianne's mother Mrs. Dashwood, the actress is Madam Pomphrey in the movies!

I love the story how one sister Maryanne must learn what true love is and the other Elinor must learn to be patient and forbearing concerning the one she loves. To me it's a timeless tale that I can relate to in these modern times, which is why Austen's books and their movie continue to be so popular today.

Emma: I watched the one with Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeremy Northam. Definitely my favorite Emma rendition. I thought the one with Kate Beckinsale was a little dry and boring. I also really enjoy this book by Austen. Emma is so different than many of heroines. She's already rich and as such she doesn't need to get married if she so chooses. She's prideful and somewhat vain. Austen shows how it takes someone her equal to help her be her best self. Gwyneth and Jeremy do an excellent job of portraying these traits and their chemistry is amazing!