Product: Becoming Jane [Blu-ray] (2007)
Rating: 3.0
What is Jane "becoming"?
I really must point out that the generous rating is only there because of the beautifully enchanting opening sequence and simply perfect ending. Unfortunately the rest of the film was not exhilarating.It is a fictional story of the life of Jane Austen one of the world's most beloved authors having written six best selling novels. There is not much difference to the story than one of the many, many films adaptations of her actual books. It follows the basic premise of Pride and Prejudice with an overly impertinent mother desperate to marry off her daughter Jane to a wealthy man. It is even more similar when Jane refuses a generous offer from one such man, and tension with her mother ensues. Jane meets a man, Tom Lefroy, who is young, attractive, and different most of the stiff and proper men she is surrounded by. As she falls for him and he for her...well you probably already know...they are unable to marry because Tom does not have any money. He is completely reliable on his Uncle's allowance for support, an allowance that will be taken away should he marry Jane. As they try to figure a way to marry and be financially stable a secret is revealed and the story comes to surprising conclusion.I am sure Jane's life was an inspiration for her novels but this fictitious tale seemed to similar to the umpteen adaptations we have seen of her stories to make it interesting enough. Also the film is called `Becoming Jane', I assume meaning Jane Austen becoming a famous author, but I felt like the story never really showed much of her writing and coming up with the ideas. There were occasions that this did happen but not enough for my taste.One enjoyable thing, like all Jane Austen movies, is the locations and scenery are always breathtaking and a pleasure to watch.Anne Hathaway plays the young author very convincingly, and James McAvoy plays Tom Lefroy with an intense captivating energy. The wonderful supporting actors, which include Maggie Smith, Julie Waters, and James Cromwell, all do wonderful jobs but are heavily underused.Overall a movie that uses the same things over again too many times. I still am sticking to my original rating because of the ending which is just so remarkable and also the skillfully timed and edited beginning.