would have been disappointing, if I hadn't seen it coming...

Rating: 3/10 (14 July 2006)

I give this a 3 because it isn't, by far, the worst thing I've seen. However, it does deliver little enough to rank along with other films in the "waste of film" category. It may sound ironic to accuse this version of being a "by the book" romance, but when I say "by the book" I mean a bad romance book, not a good one. Coming from someone who had to be sat down kicking and screaming to watch the BBC version because she "hates romances", please believe me when I suggest that before you run out and buy this one thinking it's a fantastic love story and you need to watch it over and over and over again - stop. Go to the library, pick up the book, and read it. Then read it again, and when you're done, read it again. When you've done it sufficiently enough that you can darn near quote every line (and if you can't do that, then you don't love the story enough and can skip the rest of this review), go pick up the BBC version, settle in for a long night (or two, if you can't sit that long), and watch. Then, pick up the new version and watch it again. If you can honestly, truly say that this new version is better than the BBC, well then - well, then quite honestly you confuse me, but go ahead and buy it. Me? I'll stick with a cast that understood their characters, understood their backgrounds, and made me fall in love with a romance against my will, against my reason, and even against my character.