See it!

Rating: 9/10 (20 September 2005)

I saw this at the Toronto Inter. Film Festival. At first I thought, "why yet another Pride and Prejudice?" But I quickly changed my mind. Yes, the 1995 version was wonderful, and yes, you can develop characters a lot more in a miniseries. Let it go and judge this on its own terms.
This version is set earlier--1797. As the director explained, he thought the Empire dresses too ugly and justified the earlier date because that was the date of the first draft of P&P. So it looks a bit different--more realistic, if you ask me. The Bennetts live in a real estate, with pigs and mud around. Chatsworth, which Jane Austen visited, fills in for Pemberley. With the exception of the ball scenes and a scene in town, very little of the epic period piece is needed.
Keira makes a wonderful Elizabeth. She is the right age to be vivacious and silly, and she does a great job. Donald Sutherland as Mr Bennett!! At first the idea seems preposterous, but once again, it turns out well. Sutherland somehow masks his accent and blends in perfectly. His eccentricity is just enough to show where Elizabeth gets her spirit.
The director and Matthew MacFadyen confessed at the screening that neither had seen the earlier versions before they filmed this, which perhaps explains why this is so successful--they weren't intimidated and weren't tied to earlier interpretations.
If you have any doubts, see this yourself. You won't be sorry.