BASED on the novel...

Rating: 8/10 (13 November 2005)

my dear readers, this lovely adaptation of my favorite jane austen novel once again proves that the words, "based on a novel by" (insert your favorite author here) mean nothing less. it is not the novel, and yet people will continuously lambast it for not being so. keira knightly does a splendid job as eliza, as anyone (especially males) will tell you. she is beautiful, strong, funny, loyal, and everything that eliza was meant to be. matthew macfayden as darcy is also quite effective. yes, he is played as painfully shy, but he does show the snottiness that we loathe him for in the novel. i think that the depth of feeling expressed in this adaptation is uncharacteristic of previous screen plays that are not so much based on as slaves to jane austen's novels and the public's rather staid image of them. it was meant to appeal to the masses, and not only to those that can understand and adore the subtleties of georgian English. herein lies the rub. it is funny. it is charming. it is romantic and entertaining. and it is NOT the novel. if you want the novel, my dears, go read the novel. i cannot see how either can fail to satisfy.