Lost in Austen
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Movie Reviews of Lost in Austen
Movie Review: Austen's characters in an Alternative Universe
Summary: 5 Stars
Hold on tight, this English mini-series walks a precarious line between being part very funny comedy, part drama, part romance, part fantasy in it's own right versus simply being outright offensive to Austenphiles and their beloved memories and characters.
The plot is fantastic: modern girl, Amanda Price, no apparent relation to Fanny, pines for genteel age of 'Pride and Prejudice' and 'Mr. Darcy'. Somehow, she exchanges places with a very willing, flesh and blood Elizabeth Bennet. What ensues becomes total chaos and unpredictability as Amanda's wish disrupts all that is sacred in the Austen world, and try as may to fix it- it just gets worse.
How do the new characters compare? The parents and the sisters are fine giving us more indepth details of who they truly are, Mr. Bennet- reasonable, Mama- unreasonable, a tigress for her family security. Caroline Bingley(Christina Cole- soon to be in another English TV series-"Emma". Can you believe it!) is one of my favorites. Of course, she's sharp tongue and brilliantly malevolent. Mr. Collins probably the best Collins yet, more slimy and stupid; Wickham- handsome and really not what he seems; Lady Catherine(Lindsay Duran- remember her as Lady Burtram in 'Mansfield Park'-1999)stalwart as the grand matriarch. And Darcy? Elliot Cowan stays true to the misunderstood but noble hero's image. Tough boots to fill. My wife thinks he's great. Must be.
Finally, the heroine(Jemima Rooper- don't know her- lots of TV work): to like or not to like? That is the question. She's no Elizabeth Bennet. But she definitely says what's in her head whether she wants to or not. She's awkward and out of place in both worlds, a bit obnoxious and uncouth. She desperately wants to do the right thing. Most of the time, she can't help herself let alone anyone else; lovesick and vulnerable, we couldn't help but root for her.
This miniseries is very well shot with all the beautiful trappings of locations and costumes and good actors. Three hours long with a very good 40 minute "making of" segment in the special features.
Tried and true, stick to the story, Austen fans will probably be put off by the changes and the slight offensiveness. But we laughed immensely. 'Lost in Austen' is it's own creation. Each episode is a surprise. Where is this story going? What unbelievable yet still somewhat reasonable actions do the characters intend to pull off? How will they wrap this all up?
I'd give 4- 4 1/2 stars because I'm not very discerning at times about things of the heart, but this series has lots of heart and believe it or not, romance. My Elizabeth says to give it 5. Ok.
Movie Review: Fantastic Fantasy
Summary: 5 Stars
I have watched this "mini-series" now 4 times since receiving the DVD from Amazon immediately after its release and each time the production gets better and more brilliant. Excepting the few tiresome references to today's world of PC the writing is brilliant and very Austen-esque in style and therefore very believable. The casting was great, Mr & Mrs Bennett, great and I would say, regarding the Bennett sisters, they are the best to date, e.g., Jane, Lydia, Kitty and Mary and although "Lizzie" had a fairly small part she would have been a great Elizabeth in any of the past P&P productions. I would have to say that Mr. Collins' character was a bit over the top and his "habit" detracted from an excellent script. Wickham seemed to be much more spot on had a Lydia/Wickham relationship developed in this "what-if" production. Also, Lady KDB, Mr. Bingley, sister Caroline Bingley and Charlotte Lucas all very well cast.
Mr. Darcy might be construed by some who view this production as a bit too harsh, but his character seemed to be more "in character" for the "landed aristocracy" of the period of English history being depicted and true to the novel, softens as the romantic interest develops.
Amanda, simply a great casting choice and a brilliant and believable performance!! Hope to see Ms. Rooper again.
I will say that the premise of this mini-series could not have been pulled off in any less than the 3 hours the DVD runs. However, be forewarned that there is heavy, if not total use, of "hand-Held" cameras which produce an annoying and distracting bobbing and weaving effect of the filmed image. Also, a minimum 5.1 audio track would have been nice to have.
All in all this production is a very well executed and respectable "what if" adaptation of Jane Austen's most famous novel and well worth the price to add to anyone's Jane Austen video collection. I highly recommend this DVD.
Oh, I too am disappointed that the scene in which Amanda sings "Downtown" has been cut. That edit creates a huge continuity issue due to the several references to Amanda's singing ability later in the movie. I can only believe that leaving the scene in the DVD would have served to renew interest in an old, somewhat forgotten song and consequently renewed sales. So, the deletion of the scene results in the score movie fans 0, music retailers 0, lawyers 0, a no win for all involved. Badly done, badly done!!
Movie Review: Mr. Darcy in a Wet Shirt Again? Yes, Please!
Summary: 5 Stars
With the recent renditions of the Jane Austen novels for BBC like Chinese food, I find I was briefly satisfied but now I am hungry for more. More Jane Austen!...So imagine my delight when I stumbled across this new ITV production "Lost in Austen"....
What!? Time travel mixed with Jane Austen? Pass me my salts and loosen my stays!
Being released soon on DVD....Pre-Order from Amazon!? Yes! Yes! Must. Have. NOW! WANT!
"Amanda Price is sick of the modern world. She yearns for the romance and elegance found in the books by her favorite author, Jane Austen. But she's about to get a rude awakening as one fateful evening, she is propelled into the scheming 19th century world of Pride and Prejudice while that book's Elizabeth Bennet is hurled into hers. As the book's familiar plot unfolds, Amanda triggers new romantic twists and turns within the Bennet family circle as she clumsily tries to help the sisters nab husbands and even captivates the tantalizing Mr. Darcy herself. But what about Elizabeth...and what will become of one of the world's greatest love stories?"
Of course my favourite rendition of Pride & Prejudice is the Colin Firth BBC-1, A&E version...But to be lost in the novel? And really, Ladies? Who does not want to see Darcy again in a wet shirt?
So, whether tis good or tripe....I shall order this and with the eager delight of a guilty pleasure watch a modern girl enter the pages of a beloved novel..and yes, kisses ....ardently so...with Mr. Darcy!
UPDATE~!! i got the DVD today! gosh i love Amazon! And yes dears it was delightful! Fun, frolicking, and yes, very entertaining!! I want to watch it again even! ..There was one point I was thinking "how in the world is this going to END?!" and I love it when a story takes me to places where i can't easily predict the ending and am happily surprised by it!...and I was! I'm such a wus...I cried. Gah!
Movie Review: Lost In Austen Is Delight
Summary: 5 Stars
Lost In Austen was a British mini series directed by Oscar winner Sam Mendes and written by Guy Andrews, and it was one of the most popular offerings on British television in 2008.
In fact, it was so popular that they brought it to the big screen. This charming homage to Pride and Prejudice and Jane Austen herself is an absolute delight.
Jemima Rooper is Amanda Price who steps through the portal between her reality and the fictional world inhabited by the Bennet family. Elliot Cowan is the smoldering Mr. Darcy. Hugh Bonneville is paternal as Mr. Bennet.
Florence Hoath is Kitty Bennet. Alex Kingston is Mrs. Bennet. Morven Christie is Jane Bennet. Perdita Weeks is Lydia Bennet. Tom Mison is Mr. Bingley. Ruby Bentall is Mary Bennet. Christina Cole is Caroline Bingley, and Gemma Arterton is Elizabeth Bennet. Tom Riley is Mr. Wickham, and Guy Henry is Mr. Collins.
The story goes like this. . . .
Amanda Price is an ardent Jane Austen fan who has read Pride and Prejudice too many times. Saddled with a boozy boy friend who has no shred of romance in his soul, she longs for the genteel world inhabited by Elizabeth Bennet.
When Amanda finds Elizabeth Bennet standing in her bathtub one night, her world as she knows it changes. Elizabeth tells her she stepped through a doorway in her attic, a door that had never opened before, and ended up in Amanda's bathrub. Before you can say alternate reality, Amanda is trapped in Jane Austen's world of mannered courtship and matchmaking intrigue.
Of course, Amanda's presence changes the course of Austen's novel so the poor girl ends up trying to keep the story on course. I won't spoil the story. Suffice it to say that you'll be surprised. It's an affectionate homage that will enchant you and make you glad to be Lost In Austen.
Movie Review: Works as an homage to and a spoof of Austen and her fans.
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm holding up my credentials to verify that I am an Austen-phile and a huge fan of Pride and Prejudice. I even found fun in the Bollywood version ("Bride and Prejudice")! That said, I can state that this was a lovely twist on the classic novel, as well as an amusing take on what it means to be addicted to P&P, as so many of us are!
As Amanda's actions in old time England started to turn the standard plot on its ear, I found myself enjoying not so much the plot turns themselves as the take on each character. Those of us who have read the book many times and seen all the incarnations expect certain things of each character. It was fascinating to watch how they would react to new events (even though the characters were unaware of how things SHOULD have gone.) Like other reviewers, I don't want to give these twists away. Some played better than others, I suppose, but I'll bet all of us Austen fans will like different things - and different takes on character - from other Austen fans. Still, the acting was fine, the ladies were charming, the men suitably hot.
And speaking of us Austen fans, not only was it fun to put myself in Amanda's shoes (which would not fit me well), but I liked the amusing in-jokes aimed at Austen addicts. And if I'm including a little bit of a SPOILER here, the moment when Mr. Darcy jumped in the lake was delicious on many levels and showed us that the screenwriters were not only lovers of P&P, they possessed a devilish sense of humor. Post-modern indeed!
I recommend this one as a fine way to spend a rainy afternoon. It made me want to form a club: we read the book out loud together, then watch all the incarnations, one after another, fortifying ourselves with a feast fit for Bingley's table!