Pride & Prejudice
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Movie Reviews of Pride & Prejudice
Movie Review: Bride And Purchase Price
Summary: 5 Stars
Pride And Prejudice is an exuberant celebration of what movies do best. In one meticulously constructed scene after another it showers viewers with eye candy and in so doing, transports them to a distant, fascinating place and time. In a cynical age such as ours, where every image is suspect, this is more difficult than one might imagine; director Joe Wright's success is complete.
Jane Austen's Pride And Prejudice has demonstrated Rocky-esque box office endurance. Were she alive today, Austen might marvel at our attraction to this tale of marriage as business, crushing social stratification, and nuanced mannerisms - told with precision, wit, and irony - considering that our own society, though bloated with both pride and prejudice, possesses none of the refined subtleties she described.
Apart from our Anglophile obsession, born of the indebtedness we feel for providing our culture, such as it is, this attraction is most easily traced to the character of Elizabeth (Keira Knightly), a smart, beautiful, and appealingly feisty young woman who holds out for love over financially-motivated marriage. (Heresy!) While older sister Jane (Rosamund Pike) may be lovelier, we root for Liz as she battles uphill. Her triumph does not seem facile, Liz is tested and must grow - indeed, we cheer her victory because we sense she will not abuse it.
Superb performances abound, led by Judi Dench as Lady Catherine. From her comfy chair on top of the food chain, Dench embodies the full force of social pressure as you've never seen it before - terrifying. Matthew MacFadyen is compelling as Mr. Darcy, he has on-screen presence and commands attention with his quiet, thoughtful demeanor. Keira Knightly carries the picture admirably, mischievous without being obnoxious, self-absorbed without being narcissistic, sharp-witted without being needlessly cynical. Brenda Blethyn (Mrs. Bennet) is wonderfully nutty, ambitious, and calculating while Donald Sutherland (Mr. Bennet), workmanlike as ever, should have been told that a Canadian accent is not an English accent. Tom Hollander, as Reverend Collins, isn't on camera much but is simply brilliant.
Pride And Prejudice reveals a world where function follows form, not vice versa. In one glorious scene the five Bennet sisters dance at a ball and Liz scrupulously avoids the advances of Reverend Collins while attempting to attract Darcy. This is the carefully delineated atmosphere of Jane Austen; it's a wonderful place to visit.
Movie Review: I've seen ALL P&P's and...
Summary: 5 Stars
..I still was able to find the charm in this one. I dare say I enjoyed it very much! I like both the Firth and the Knightley versions. Funny how when we think of the BBC we think more of Mr. Darcy (Firth) and when we think of this one we think more of Elizabeth (Knightley).
There are many scenes from each of the P&Ps that I can say I like over the other, so I can't pick a true favorite version. Even with significant script downsizing and tweaking in this version, overall you still get the many *SIGH* moments between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth and the laugh out loud moments with Mr. Collins (I'm forever a fan of the Hollander actor who played him in this rendition!). You sympathize and adore Charlotte (who is very believable as the plain "spinster-in-the-making" than the other versions) and WHO can bring aristocracy to the screen like the dame Judi? This role was made for her and out of all P&P ladyships, she is by far my favorite portrayal. I was also happy with the Lydia casting - her portrayal was the perfect comedic silly and selfish.
LOVED Donald Sutherland's Mr. Bennett! You get an idea of why they aren't in the best financial shape with his laid back and resigned attitude - the go-getter he is not. The scene between he and Lizzie at the end is very touching. Any daddy's little girl will be moved when they watch it. I know I was and still am every time I see it.
Matthew MacFayden did a fine job with his portrayal of the handsome and initially stoic and snobbish Mr. Darcy. I think his emotions and tenderness really trasmitted itself well across the screen as his feelings grew for Elizabeth. Truly FINE performances from all of the cast.
Some have brought up the discrepancies in this P&P, yet I do not remember Mr. Darcy swimming in a lake and coming out of it sexy and dripping wet in the book like he did in the Firth version - yet we do not complain about it. That's because it was a GREAT scene (for the ladies) and it didn't take away from the movie. There are going to be changes in each one, as long as it doesn't take away from the romance of the two and the gist of the story (again many only have 2 hours), I think when given a chance, P&P lovers will really enjoy this one.
I would have loved to have seen more effort with the costume designs, but overall I really LOVED the movie and occasionally when I have 2 hours on a rainy day, I'll pop it in. It's one of my rainy day favorites!
Movie Review: My favorite movie of 2006
Summary: 5 Stars
I love movies and though I don't see a lot of first run films, I thought 2006 offered an unusual variety of interesting movies and made a special effort to see them in theaters. Of all the films I saw last year, this is one of the few I felt I would want to see again and so I purchased it on DVD and have watched it a few times since my purchase. In fact, now that it is being shown on HBO during the holiday season when I have more free time than usual, I have watched it several MORE times--which is very unusual for me. But this has very quickly become one of my FAVORITE movies.
I am a big Jane Austen fan and loved the Firth/Ehle 1995 production and also the earlier 1980 BBC production with David Rintoul which I used to introduce my daughter to Jane Austen several years ago. I don't think it's all that relevant to this film to compare it to the TV productions since a TV miniseries can be so much more faithful to the novel itself given much longer playing time and less need for distinctive scenery and sets.
In order to translate such a social novel successfully to the film screen, and in order to attract a more varied audience than those who faithfully appreciate Masterpiece Theater, dramatic visuals were needed and the sets and scenery took on much greater importance. Also a much simpler story was imperative to fit in a two hour framework. The choices made were admirable. The scenery is so beautiful and so evocative of rural England, the acting is inspired, the dialogue is perfect and the drama moves quickly and holds the interest even of those highly unlikely to pick up and read a Jane Austen novel--even my husband, a comedy and adventure film fan, loves this movie.
I think the relevant group to which this film should be compared are the other big award winners of 2006, and this is a FAR SUPERIOR film to many of the films which won big awards. I was able to watch 'Walk the Line' a second time, and I HAD to watch 'Syriana' a second time to understand it all--they were both good films and I have to admit I even enjoyed Crash when I first saw it--but I would never bother to watch 'Crash' again, and I think this film gets better each time I see it. Each time I watch it I see something new in the sets, in the performances, in the story, and in the direction. I really cannot recommend the film more highly--it is tremendously enjoyable and can be watched by a wide variety of adults as well as older children.
Movie Review: SMOLDERING DARCY SIZZLES..
Summary: 5 Stars
I watched it when it came out in theaters and I just had to own the DVD. This version is perfectly cast. Keira(Lizzie), in this film, is not so drop dead gorgeous that nobody can see themselves in her (she's flat chested for one). And Matthew as Darcy is smolderingly hot. They captured the subtlety and nuances that a lot of romantic movies now no longer have and yet the same subtlety is what grips you, just like the book. The chemistry played in the film reminded me of first love (or infatuation) or an illicit affair.
A lot of friends(fans of the book) hesitated watching the film as they didn't want the film character to ruin the image of Mr. Darcy they had in their heads. Ladies, Mcfadyen doesn't disappoint. He enhances it.
He is still Darcy, yet hot hot hot. He made Darcy smolder. His acting is superb. Stiff upper lip but his eyes spoke volumes. Soulful, even. It smoldered, looked away, and light up with happiness that he couldn't help. And there were times that he looked like he was visibly swallowing eventhough you couldn't see it as his throat was covered with a cravat. And he managed to convey that he was aware of everything eventhough he wasn't even looking. Doesn't that sound like us, when we're holding ourselves back?
And Keira as Lizzie, was wonderfully refreshing. Even people who haven't read the book could tell that she couldn't help herself, she was attracted to Darcy. Love could be mistaken for loathing. Throughout the film, she never said she liked him, except towards the end, yet both actors managed to play the characters as being extremely aware of each other. Isn't that how we feel, when the person we are so passionately attracted to walks into the room, we know it even without looking? That's how the film is. Perfect.
The supporting cast was equally superb. Dame Dench, as Lady Catherine, can swallow you whole. Jenna was absurd and annoying (as she should be), I fast-forward her.
The scenery is breathtaking. And there's always something going on in all corners of the screen, most notably, the ball scenes and the maid singing as she walked through the house.
Overall, this film is delightful. Pemberly took my breath away as it did Keira Knightly. And Mcfadyen as Darcy, soaking wet and hurt? Wow. And check out the scene as he was coming out with the dawn of the sun behind him...morning dew, long coat and open shirt...wow wow. I'm in love again.
Movie Review: A Must-Have for Austen Lovers
Summary: 5 Stars
Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is almost a necessity for any lover of literature. It is, perhaps, her most famous piece and has been adapted a number of times. This latest adaptation does not disappoint.
I absolutely love the BBC edition - I've watched it in one whole day a number of times, to the point where I can recite the lines as the actors say them. I was tentative about this new Pride and Prejudice, worried that it would bring Austen's world crashing down to the ground with bad, flashy acting. However, the story still holds the same lovely charm of Austen's story, without being too similar to the BBC movie or too far removed.
My biggest criticism is that the movie was too short. For lovers of the BBC movie, this can be a large drawback. Things happen so quickly (although the movie is 129 minutes long) and there seem to be so many gaps left. Wickham, for instance, is only seen once or twice, his character completely undeveloped in the movie. However, this new Pride and Prejudice was meant to cater to the general public and a five hour re-enactment may have weared a number of the viewers.
Matthew Macfadyen and Keira Knightly are both different from Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle, yet they still maintain the original charm of the character they are playing. Knightley's biggest dissimilarity is the fact that she is stick thin, whereas gentry in Austen's time were of a more stout constitution, since a rounder woman meant the family could afford to be well fed. Her acting, except for a crying scene, is almost flawless. Macfadyen plays a different Darcy from Firth's haughtier take on the character; Macfadyden is more shy than he is proud. But he does a good job, and the scene between him and Knightley in the rain is one of the most romantic scenes in any movie.
The film, moreover, does not have the glamorize the story, but the house is dirty, hair is messy, things are out of place and imperfect, adding a whole new sense of reality to the movie, something I think the BBC production might have missed.
For any lover of Pride and Prejudice, I do no think you will be disappointed in this rendition. Or, if you are, it will merely be because so much of the story had to be omitted. For me, I felt between Knightley's Elizabeth and Firth's Darcy, the world of Pride and Prejudice was well rounded and remained true to what Austen had dreamed up.