Summary: Anne Hathaway (THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA THE PRINCESS DIARIES) gives a radiant performance as a young love-struck Jane Austen in the witty and engaging romantic comedy BECOMING JANE from Miramax Films. It's the untold romance that inspired the novels of one of the world's most celebrated authors. When the dashing Tom Lefroy (James McAvoy THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND) a reckless and penniless lawyer-to-be enters Jane's life he offends the emerging writer's sense and sensibility. Soon their clashing egos set off sparks that ignite a passionate romance and fuel Jane's dream of doing the unthinkable -- marrying for love. ~amazon.comReview: I had Becoming Jane
on my DVR for a couple months. A couple weeks ago I actually got to sit down and watch it. What a wonderful movie. It's the wonderful "based on the life of" movie about Jane Austen and how she really becomes "Jane Austen". I've always wanted to say I've read Jane Austen and I tried Pride and Prejudice (Bantam Classics)
but I just couldn't do it. I much prefer the movie adaptations. (I know the horror!!) This movie was just great. You know when Jane meets Tom Lefroy that it's going to be passionate and a whirlwind romance. I also had a feeling that this romance is the one that made her probably the most prolific female writer ever. I laughed and I cried (ok I bawled a couple times). I loved the ending even if it wasn't the "happily ever after" that Ms. Austen's characters ended up having.Anne Hathaway is a delight as Jane Austen. I hadn't seen James McAvoy in anything althought I've heard wonderful things about it and he was quite good as Tom Lefroy. He's good looking but not in the classic sense; meaning he's not drop dead gorgeous but there's something about him that's very attractive. Maggie Smith is wonderful as usual in her small but significant role.
Even though it's "based on" historical findings about her life, I think that Becoming Jane
is such a wonderful movie, that I really don't care if it's 100% accurate. At the end it said that Jane Austen wrote 6 of the most influential books of our time in her short life (she was 35 when she died). It's amazing the kind of influence the written words of one woman can make on generations of women.Movie Final Take: 4.5/5
I really liked this movie, as well. I though the actors did a great job. I read the book a couple of years ago and found it very dry, the movie is based on the book but not a direct 'copy'.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed Becoming Jane (and most of those Austenish period movies - my favorite being Emma Thompson's S&S)!
ReplyDeleteI don't remember why, but I couldn't finish watching this movie. I'd been looking forward to watching it. I loved S&S with Emma Thompson and P&P with Keira Knightly (though P&P made a much better book). Maybe it's because it was a bioflick; Anne Hathaway was gorgeous and brilliant, as usual, but everything felt so... contrived; I just wasn't able to suspend enough belief that night. I turned it off and vowed to find myself a good Austen biography (which I haven't done yet--thanks for reminding me). Maybe I'll give it another viewing after that.
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