Becoming Jane
Review
by Clint Morris
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We know what became of her bank balance, but
what became of the woman, Jane Austen, behind the pin number?
Here
be the answer, the story of a woman who lived, loved, got literary and
made it to Forbes most powerful list by their gala 1795 issue.
Becoming
Jane
stars Anne Hathaway as one of history’s most prolific and most popular
romance writers. Before she was the best-selling author we all know her
as – in fact that’s about all most of us know her as – she was a chirpy
little country-sider who hooked up with a penniless Londoner named Tom
Lefroy (McAvoy). Naturally – being that in these times it was all about
marrying a man with money – the relationship was never one that was
going to work; not without making some waves.
Like most guys,
I’ll whine till the cows come home about being pulled along to one of
these old-age chick flicks – but, and again like most guys, I’ll quite
enjoy myself once I get there. For example, last year’s redo of
Austen’s Pride
and Prejudice
– starring Keira Knightley (never too hard to look at), in the lead
role – was a great little film. It had plenty of spark; great dollops
of humour; a vibrant little script and a gold group of actors. Of
course, I wouldn’t have been caught dead watching this film had it no
been for journalistic reason - but, like a day at school, it wasn’t
half bad once I got there.
It was the same with Becoming
Jane
– the things we do for our job, hey? – I never would’ve checked it out
if didn’t involve a noose and handcuffs. But as for actually enjoying
myself once I got there? That’s another matter. The spark, humour, and
effectual structure of most of Austen’s films has sadly been left out
of a movie that seems intent on floating in the same pool as those
films; yet restricts itself from being all that it can be. Granted, it
isn’t one of those movies – it only tells the story of the person that
wrote such stories - but the film seems so determined to pass it off as
say, a loose Pride
and Prejudice
– being that all of Austen’s stories were based on events in her real
life – that you’d think they might have actually structured the film
the same way. Nope, besides the well-referenced script (explaining
where, when and how Austen came up with the characters and situations
in her famed novels), there’s little magic at work here at all. Art is
more exciting than life, it seems.
The very-easy-on-the-eyes
Anne Hathaway is quite tolerable – and does an OK British accent – as
Austen, and rising young actor James McAvoy (The Last King of Scotland)
makes for a charming-enough Darcy… sorry,.. Lefroy... but they haven’t
got a lot to work with. If the filmmakers had put as much effort into
the movie, as they did the people and places – everything, and
everyone, looks rather divine – we blokes might’ve been able to stay
awake. In this case, even your wife will be sprung catching some
zzzzz’s in a few spots.
In this case, the guys will be spot-on when they say, “Love, you’ll
enjoy the new Bruce Willis movie just as much”.
2 out
of 5
Becoming
Jane
Australian
release: 29th March,
2007
Cast: Anne Hathaway, Julie Walters, James
McAvoy, Maggie Smith, Jessica Ashworth
Director: Julian Jarrold
Website: Click
here.
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