Product: Becoming Jane [Blu-ray] (2007)
Rating: 5.0
Becoming Jane: Fact or Fiction
As a lifelong Jane Austen fan, I was skeptical about seeing this movie so I avoided it when it came out on the silver screen. What a mistake that was. I was greatly surprised by Anne Hathaway's solid portrayal of one of England's finest authors. She portrayed Austen pretty much how I had always pictured her. A bit feisty, mixed with a streak of wildness, topped with a solid temperamental heart. She made me believe that I was actually getting a small glimpse into Jane Austen's world.This was also the first time I had seen James McAvoy in a lead major role of Thomas Langlois Lefroy. My previous impression of James had been that of the annoying philandering brother of Peter Colt in the movie, Wimbledon and that of Mr. Tumnus in The Chronicles of Narnia. Wow, did I also underestimate him. His emotional transformation from arrogant, uppity rogue to an emotionally tortured, passionate gentleman was so touching that it pulled at your heart. You really did want to see a happy ending for this perfectly matched couple though we all knew how it would end.Little is known about Jane Austen's early life and even less is known about her first and probably her only true love. The few remaining letters that Jane had sent to her sister Cassandra were written with Jane's intent on hiding her true feelings about her Irish beau. What we do know is that at Tom Lefroy's deathbed confession, he declared to his nephew that Jane Austen indeed had been the love of his life.This movie is a must for those who love romantic movies, who love Jane Austen, and who appreciate the cinematography, culture, and depiction of Jane Austen's England.