Masterful Cinema

Rating: 10/10 (4 February 2006)

Jane Austen's classic novel about a young poor woman who falls in love with a rich man is masterfully crafted as one of the best love stories to hit cinema in a very long time. The story crosses the boundaries of Victorian England to be ever pertinent in today's society as it portrays relationships among different classes. Keira Knightly gives the finest performance of her career portraying the strong willed Elizabeth Bennet. Outstanding performances resonate throughout this film, most notably by Matthew Macfadyen, Donald Sutherland and Brenda Blethyn. But it is more than a beautiful and honest love storyit is film-making at its most breathtaking. The cinematography by Roman Oshin is lavish throughout with its continuous shots that had to be meticulously choreographed. The dialogue of the screenplay is taken almost directly from Austen's book and is a fine representation of the era. Even the musical score by Dario Marianelli adds to the greatness of this moving and comical love story that was so finely directed by Joe Wright. It is the year's most delightful film.