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Becoming Jane (2007)

Director: Julian Jarrod

Average user rating

3 reviews

Synopsis

An account of author Jane Austen’s first romance.

Movie review

From Time Out London

1795, and money is tight at the Austen country parsonage, placing no little onus on daughter Jane (Anne Hathaway) to make a lucrative marriage. This bright, independent-spirited 20-year-old may have her own ideas, however, since she’s not hugely keen on nice-but-dim suitor Mr Wisley (Laurence Fox), even if he does comes with a fortune and the backing of aunt Lady Gresham (Maggie Smith). Cue rakish Irish trainee lawyer Tom (James McAvoy), visiting his Hampshire relatives from London, and a waspish metropolitan match for Jane’s keen wit. Shame he’s a rogue with barely a penny to his name...

So, according to recent research, a youthful spot of ill-fated love helped mould Jane Austen into a great writer, and on the back of that comes this capable dramatisation. Perhaps unexpectedly, Hathaway projects the insightfulness of the future author with no little charm, and McAvoy’s charismatic enough to convince as the slightly cocky object of her ardour (if less persuasive in bare-torsoed boxing scenes). Overall, the approach is less fluffily contrived than you’d expect, and though the alignment of circumstance and social status thwarting innocent passions is hardly fresh, it’s handled with thoughtful decorum. The emotional temperature’s rather restrained as a result, but with luxury casting all down the line (James Cromwell and Julie Walters line up as Jane’s parents), elegant visuals balancing verdant and velvet, and a delightful faux-classical score, it’s a classy package, all right – just missing the extra spark.

Author: Trevor Johnston

Time Out London Issue 1907: March 7-13 2007

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User reviews of this film

Technoguy said...

Posted on Sep 01 2009 16:57 I thought this a worthwhile film despite its derivation from a lot of her fiction. the portrayal of small groups of
people in a limited,perhaps confining environment and
to mould the apparently trivial incidents of their lives
into a poised comedy of manners. Her characters are
middle-class and provincial;their most urgent preoccupation is with courtship and marriage. In her short life she wrote 6 novels and never married,so the
film uses the bare outlines of an uneventful life and her strong family ties. The film quits itself well, its
leading actors, McEvoy and Hathaway portray their
parts with a healthy measure of realism,showing that
even love is not enough if the circumstances and
economics are against it. That she is presented by a
suitor with wealth outside of this and she declines
despite her family's need shows a lot into what made her succeed as a writer.The film shows the dilemma faced by unmarried daughters looking for a husband:
planting potatoes and pig watching between the
chance to meet the opposite sex at country dances.The
cinematography was excellent,the use of colour and
the tone of the film were superb.Some racy scenes of
bare knuckle boxing and men in the nude skinny-dipping added to the overall palette.

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Diana said...

Posted on Apr 14 2008 13:21 I thought the film was absolutely incredible, and the acting was superb. yes it is like many other films of that period, but what really sets becoming jane apart is the fact that you can actually feel how much they love each other and their desperation and absolute inability to do anything about their situation can be seen from the way the look at eachother.. it is very well acted and was very believable whereas in many others I have found the story and feelings to be fake. If someone knows anything about love and has experienced even remotely what the characters are going through, then you will undoubtedly relate to them and see that their acting is very good in portraying these emotions... It is in my top 4 endless love films!! Definitely a must see!! :)

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Serenity said...

Posted on Mar 06 2008 23:15 I LOVED THIS MOVIE! I CRIED, LIKE, THREE TIMES!

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