Rushed Cliff Notes

Rating: 4/10 (2 December 2005)

On the whole I wasn't overly impressed. I will say that the soundtrack is fantastic and about a bagillion times better than my beloved A&E's soundtrack. Hands down. I like the ending much better (than A&E's); I liked their portrayal of Merriton much better; I think that Jane was actually prettier than Elizabeth in this one (sorry; I didn't particularly care for Keira Knightly as Elizabeth Bennett); I liked the added dimension of Darcy & Bingley's friendship; Darcy's little sister, Georgiana, is actually a very good pianist in this one. But, bottom line, I felt like I was watching a rushed Cliff Notes. I felt like they assumed a lot. Plus there was barely time for character development. Jane & Lizzy are each other's confidants and best friends, but in this movie they barely tell each other things. Mrs. Bennett is written as an obnoxious character, always fussing about her "poor nerves", but the few mentions of her nerves in the movie seem pushed and unnatural. And I really didn't care for Keira Knightly as Lizzy, especially after her amazon-like role in King Arthur. I could go on and on, but I won't. I know that some people have loved the movie, not more than A&E, but thought that they truly did quite a good job, and I'm glad that they enjoyed it. But I'll stick with Jennifer Ehle and Collin Firth.