Bronte version of Pride & Prejudice

Rating: 5/10 (26 March 2006)

Just watching the trailer for this movie made me cringe. It was so Bronte (I was thinking -- is this Wuthering Heights or Jane Eyre?). Which I thought was hilarious given Jane Austen made fun of the melodramatic Bronte novels during her time on this earth (she did not like their novels at all). So, bad, bad move by the adapter of this great piece of literature. Note to Moggach: Jane Austen would have hated this adaptation as much as her readers.
But, Jane has been dead now for quite some time and life is about progression so I watched this (as the book is one of my top ten of all time and the 1995 BBC version is still my favorite to watch on a rainy Sunday afternoon) as it was free on a recent long airplane flight. I laughed out loud at the over-the-top "dramatic" scenes as they were so forced and definitely meant to appeal to either the 13 year old girls or silly women who like those stupid Harlequin Romances. BUT, there were a few things I did like and I feel are very worthy to mention and also why I gave this a 5 out of 10 instead of a one.
First, not positive (I would give this a big 0 if I could individually rate performances), is I could not stand Kiera Knightely's interpretation of the role of Lizzie. She was silly and stupid and I especially hated her forced "tomboy" quality. Think of how much great Jane Austen dialog or plot development was skipped with that stupid scene of her spinning around on a swing -- was the director trying to "convey" the changing seasons? Really bad choice. So much wasted time -- really bad editing. But the scene I hated her the most in was when she goes to Pemberly after rebuffing Darcy and when he asks to accompany her back to Lampton she does this stupid girlish giggle/smile and almost screams "no" as she runs away. I'm thinking -- "run Darcy, dump this immature idiot girl!" Now, does that sound like the Lizzie we all know and have loved? Nope, the writers and Keira totally screwed up this role and ruined Lizzie for the 13 year old female adolescents who so badly need the real Lizzie on the big screen for a role model. Jennifer Ehle is by far the best Lizzie up to this point in time.
I liked Darcy -- very attractive. A bit brooding but definitely a nice touch to modernize this version. He was very well acted -- I thought he was a very good Darcy.
I liked Jane -- she was very pretty and that was nice improvement from the 1995 version of Jane. She played a very good adaptation of the book Jane. I definitely liked her much better than the 1995 BBC Jane.
Bingley -- huh??? Good actor, crappy writing. Caroline Bingley -- good.
I really, really like Mr. and Mrs. Bennet - I thought this adaptation was a nice, slightly more positive version than the book and the 1995 version. I felt the 1995 version was too harsh on Mrs. Bennet as the book definitely alluded to the affection she had for her daughters as well as Mr. Bennet's affection towards her (although not as positive as this movie portrays). But it was a nice touch and I really like both actors who played these roles, very good casting.
Mr. Collins & Wickham -- could have used a bit more of both on screen, Tom Hollander is excellent in everything and he was perfectly cast as Mr. Collins. Finally a drop dead gorgeous Mr. Wickham, I think the screen adaptation could have definitely made more use of his importance to the substance of the plot but I like this Mr. Wickham because he is incredibly attractive and able to lie very easily (a tribute to the actor) so he could have been much more pivotal -- more of Mr. Wickham, less of Lizzie twirling around on a swing.
Mary Bennet, Kittie and Lydia -- Mary Bennet was perfectly cast as was Kittie and Lydia although Kittie acted more like the Lydia in the book version. So again, no discount to the actors, just an awful writing.
The scenery and "period" nature of the film were very well done. So kudos and a big "10" for cinematography. I did enjoy the Bennet house and yes, I do think pigs probably walked through a portion of the homes and I also think Mrs. Bennet probably helped with the cooking if you were to digress in "real time" 18th century. So although Austen purists will hate this portion, I loved it because I think that is probably the reality of that time -- as was the drunken state of the party goers at the different balls. 18th century politeness and manners aside, when people have too much to drink, no matter what century, they always make fools of themselves and the 2005 movie did a nice job showing that.
To be honest, I would have given this movie an 8 if someone else would have played Lizzie.
I too wish Emma Thompson would adapt all the Jane Austen novels for the big screen. She is the only person I can see who truly "gets" Jane Austen. Similar to the screen plays on the Lord of the Rings movies, you recognize those who capture the essence of the books. This adaptation tried to capture the essence of Wuthering Heights and shove it into Pride and Prejudice. Making it even the worse because Jane Austen loathed the Bronte novels.