Product: Becoming Jane [Blu-ray] (2007)
Rating: 5.0
Gorgeous -- Jane Austen would have been proud!
Are you in the bargain for a poignant love story about two star-crossed lovers? And are you in the bargain for a story based on one of the most beloved writers in the English language? Becoming Jane is a beautiful film, a quasi-biopic centered on Georgian author Jane Austen and the man rumored to have been the love of her life. Set in the 1790s, Jane Austen is the daughter of a simple clergyman, whose marriage had been one of love, but never had good financial means. Her mother hopes that Jane marries a man of good fortune to secure her future and theirs. There are a couple of suitors, one of whom is a man of rank, but Jane sets her eyes on Tom Lefroy, a law student and scoundrel, one who enjoys boxing matches and parties and who loathes the countryside. What transpires is a beautiful love story in which love tries to conquer all obstacles, but in the end sensibility is the only way to go.Jane Austen would have been proud of this film. It keeps the spirit of well-known Austen novels, like Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion. In fact, it feels as though you are watching an adaptation of one of Austen's novels. There is humor and social commentary as well as romance. The setting is lovely -- the costumes and scenery are gorgeous. Anne Hatthaway does a wonderful job as Jane. Her English accent is rough in some areas, but it is convincing and it flows naturally, not forced like some other actresses (Scarlett Johansen springs to mind). Austen was a wonderful writer, but she was a plain girl, and Hatthaway is an attractive young woman. I don't know if she's considered plain for Hollywood standards or Hollywood is simply incapable of casting a truly plain woman in a starring role. Then again, Austen is regarded as pretty and a sought-after catch in the film. I don't know if that had indeed been the case or not. I do believe she was witty and outspoken, like the heroines in her novels, and that probably made her if not appealing, then refreshing among the men of those times. Well, whatever the case might be, at least Hatthaway can act. James McAvoy is charming as the rogue-turned-romantic Mr. Tom Lefroy. McAvoy sort of reminds me of Richard Armitage (of BBC's North and South fame) with his sultry voice and luminous blue-green eyes. He is a looker, but is also a great actor and I look forward to seeing him in Atonement (which I've already pre-ordered). Hatthaway and McAvoy have great chemistry. I liked the scene where Lefroy is reading a rather naughty passage from a book to Jane. I also loved their discussions about novel writing and Jane's views on irony. Jane is depicted like the heroines in her novels -- outspoken, intelligent, witty... a woman ahead of her time. I have no doubt that she was like that. Maggie Smith as Lady Gresham is taken right out of Lady Catherine de Bourg, and I'm sure that viewers will find that amusing. All in all, I absolutely loved this film. The perfect romantic film for Valetine's Day. This is not a biography per se, more like a romanticized version of what could have been for this beloved author. I rented this, but will definitely buy the DVD. I recommend this to all Jane Austen fans. If you love Ms. Austen's world, you will definitely love this film.