Not Perfect, but Thoroughly Enjoyable!

Rating: 8/10 (24 September 2006)

This movie was very good! I thoroughly enjoyed it. I do not understand the harsh comments on this film. If you've read the novel, you may be slightly disappointed by the movie. There are many people who are trying to compare the movie to the 1995 miniseries. Well, that is all well and good, but one must remember to keep in mind that you cannot get all of the story into 2 hours worth of time unless you divide it up into a miniseries. Sure, important story lines were shortened or left out entirely. However, I think that the scriptwriters did an excellent job of condensing the story into the highlights. I do not know how people can complain so much about the script because most of it is taken directly from the text of the novel.
The acting in this movie was pretty good. I could not have picked a better Elizabeth Bennet than Keira Knightley. She captured the essence of the character beautifully. Matthew Macfadyen was a good Mr. Darcy. However, I think that he should have based his portrayal more on the novel rather than what was scripted. He seemed more like a shy schoolboy rather than an arrogant and prejudiced aristocrat. The secondary characters were casted well. Brenda Blethyn was a wonderful Mrs. Bennet (she could have been even more obnoxious if you ask me!). Tom Hollander was a perfect Mr. Collins. He made you want to squirm which is exactly the effect that was needed for the character. And as always, Judi Dench was superb as Lady Catherine.
The cinematography for this film was excellent. The settings and costumes for this movie were so lush that you longed to be there with them. I also felt that the music was good for the movie. It fit well with the story and helped you feel the emotions that were meant to be felt during specific parts of the movie.
Overall, I liked this film a lot. I do not think that it would be a disappointment to Jane Austen like others have said. It doesn't capture all that it should from the novel, but movies rarely do. If you can accept that the movie will not be able to fully do justice to every part of the book, then I suggest you give this movie a try!