Loosely based on the book - anachronism international

Rating: 5/10 (21 October 2005)

Actually, I was highly disappointed in the movie. I admit having a strong bias towards Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth, and I actually said earlier that a new adaptation wasn't necessary as there is a perfectly functional BBC miniseries, but still I was disappointed. Don't get me wrong. I thought Keira Knightley made a very good Elizabeth. She has just the headstrong and witty nature a real Lizzy needs. But that was about the only redeeming quality of the movie I could find. Though, now I think of it, it is good that this one doesn't last six hours.
I am no expert on Regency life and times, but still I saw quite some anachronisms or historical inadequacies. For example, when Jane is ill at Netherfield, Bingley enters her sick chamber. Preposterous! Then, later, Lady Catherine visits when all the family was already asleep. One would never do that except in cases of severe emergency. Both Lizzy and Darcy walk around not fully clothed when they meet for the second proposal. The girls are out in society, yet wear their hair loose. Everything happened suddenly. Suddenly, Charlotte is married. Suddenly, Lydia is married. Suddenly, Lizzy goes to Derbyshire, and suddenly she's at Pemberley. They also cut out a lot of minor characters (the Hursts, the aunt and uncle in Meryton) and a lot of background story, which is of course inevitable when you want to tell the same story in less than half the time. I missed those characters, it made the evening scene at Netherfield seem lacking. Most other characters were underdeveloped as well. Col. Fitzwilliam only remained to tell Lizzy about Darcy's interference in Jane's relationship with Bingley, otherwise he'd been cut out too. I thought Bingley a schoolboy, like an older Ron Weasley. Clumsy and insecure, and not quite a gentleman. The Bennet sisters were vulgar, as was the mother, and the father had not that wit he had in the book (and P&P2). Georgiana was too confident, certainly next to her brother, who is supposed to be ten years her senior. Darcy was "tolerable, I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me". There was no real character development, again due to lack of time, and hardly a reason to dislike him except for his remark at the Meryton gathering-of-peasants. I liked the scenery, with the very old trees and the beautiful spot on the rocks, as well as the folly at Rosings and the moorland near Meryton. The Bennett family was living at a farm, not a manor. I admit this brings out the contrast with Pemberley and Rosings, but I think they outdid that. I thought Rosings and Pemberley maybe a little too large and elaborate next to the farm, certainly as neither of them is the seat of nobility.
I think I got my point across; I haven't really finished yet, but I'll stop now. All in all I think it would have been an enjoyable movie with some deja vu's if it hadn't been called Pride and Prejudice. Clueless, maybe?