jusco's review: Pride and Prejudice

Rating: 9/10 (24 December 2010)

Pride and Prejudice, the novel's latest adaptation by Joe Wright, is a delightfully charming film that surprisingly works well for its limited runtime of 129 minutes. I will not compare this film with the ever-faithful, ever-acclaimed 1995 television serial, for both work equally well but just on different levels. The selling point of this film is the fact that it will easily appeal to the younger generation; it is a great introduction for those unfamiliar with the novel or Jane Austen (as it was for me). A modern rendition of the classic novel, it still manages to maintain the wittiness and romance through the impressive performances of the young and attractive actors/actresses.
Keira Knightley, one of the most beautiful and talented actresses currently, delivers a pinpoint portrayal of Ms. Elizabeth Bennet that sparkles with witty personality. Her execution and deliverance of the novel's smart, memorable dialogue is spot on – her talent is evident, having able to meet the high standards that have always tagged along with this particular character. Her counterpart, Matthew Macfadyen, does an equally good job as Mr. Darcy, and his transformation throughout the film is well acted. Some may be dissatisfied with the youth or the lack of maturity of the cast, but as mentioned above, being an adaptation aimed at appealing to a younger audience, one must allow proper applause for the cast; it is by no means an easy task to effectively act as a set of defining literary characters.
My only complaint was it being too short; there were a few scenes that seemed to arrive much too soon, but it is understandable considering they were trying to compress it into one film. I'll be more than happy to redirect you to the above-mentioned television serial – just under 6 hours, it is given plenty of time for the events to play out.
Highly recommended for those who have yet to succeed in sitting through the novel – it is a hilarious and emotion-provoking film – or for those who desire a fresh and lively look at their favourite novel. Highly eloquent, highly intelligent, this modern telling of an all-time classic is worth the watch.