Pride and Predujice

I was given two tickets for the press screening of the latest film version of Jane Austen's classic Pride and Prejudice. It's directed by Joe Wright and stars Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet and Matthew MacFayden as Mr. Darcy.

Now I have to say it's impossible to say anything about this film without talking about BBC's mini-series of the same book, or indeed my favourite Ang Lee's Sense and Sensibility. Unfortunately this film suffers in comparison to both of those - it lacks the finesse of Sense and Sensibility and the lightness of BBC's version. Jane Austen's original book is full of very subtile humour - something that was so perfectly captured by fabulous Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet in S&S, and delicately portrayed by Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth in the TV series. This movie takes the humour and uses it like a blunt instrument, using funny faces and making some characters into crude comical side-kicks.

Mostly, actors were well chosen - with the exception of Keira Knightley whose making faces I just couldn't stand - Rosamund Pike as Jane was perfect and Donald Sutherland as Mr. Bennet was a stroke of genius. Simon Woods as Mr. Bingley was good - albeit a bit too comical and young for my liking, but Kelly Reilly as Miss Bingley was priceless. And then there's of course Mr. Darcy... Matthew MacFadyen is good - he's handsome (but not very handsome) and sensitive, and broody in the right way. I think I prefer Colin Firth, but MacFadyen still did a good job. And for the ladies out there who remember The Lake Scene from the BBC series - this movie has Mr. Darcy In The Mist which is probably even better.

Slightly inappropriate humour aside, this film was a very faithful to the book and I quite enjoyed it. It's not a great film, but it's good and pleasant enough. And I really want to read the book again.

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