Review of The Jane Austen Book Club

Warm and Inviting Love Story

This film centers around the six novels that Jane Austen penned, and the uncanny relevance that these novels have in the lives of the six individuals that are a part of a book club. The book club meets once a month to discuss a novel - each member having read that novel that month prior to the meeting, but what happens is, invariably, as each novel is read, events unfold in their lives that mirror the character's actions and plot points in each novel, respectively. Robin Swicord, whose only other direction was, The Red Coat (1993), does everything right in this multi-faceted love story. It is everything that Feast Of Love (another love movie offering) is not. It's a real shame that Morgan Freeman couldn't have joined this cast. The cast is remarkable. Maria Bello is amazing, as always, and Emily Blunt turns in a terrific performance as Prudie. Also noteable is Maggie Grace, who seems to have put her "Lost" days behind her. Also there is a fleeting performance by the great Lynn Redgrave. This movie is a celebration of reading, and of love, and not necessarily equating love with sex, which many Hollywood offerings tend to do. Overall, this is a teriffic love story, and well written. But, from a director that penned the screenplays for "Memoirs of a Geisha", and "Little Women"(1994), who would expect anything else?

Posted on 10/07/07 by: dougiejr3 06:29 PM