A fascinating story, retold as good as it can be.

Rating: 10/10 (25 April 2006)

I preferred this version more than previous versions. Any of them have handled the story beautifully, but this latest version has several things going for it. First, Keira Knightley is somewhat better as Elizabeth Bennet and Matthew Macfadyen is a wonderful, brooding Darcy. Donald Sutherland gives a solid performance, but not quite as sarcastic as Benjamin Whitrow in the previous version as Mr. Bennet. I found Alison Steadman's Mrs. Bennet (previous version) too annoying, but Brenda Blethyn in this version is just right. The other sisters are a toss-up; the pluses and minuses average out. This new version has beautiful scenery. I thought some of the directorial decisions in presenting the thoughts of the characters was extremely well done. During the dance scene with Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, for example, they begin in the crowded ballroom (the place is really jammed!) and as they dance the camera comes to take in only Elizabeth and Darcy. If you weren't alert you might think they had slipped away, outside perhaps, and were dancing alone. Then we see the end of the dance and there they are, in the crowd. It startled me at the time, but it quickly penetrated what was being "told" in the story. Touches like this were scattered throughout the film, and I liked it. Joe Wright gets the credit for directing this beautiful film. If you loved the book or have seen any other screen version of it, be sure to see this one. It will stand out among all the others.