Alicia I love this movie so much

VividSimon Simply Perfect

Chirphymium It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

Nayan Gough A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

orinocowomble This "film" reminded me very much of the many films and series based around Agatha Christie's works, in the sense that it's one of the many British period pieces that you *look at* rather than watch. The houses, the gardens, the clothes, the lovely crystallised manners are lovingly presented, every detail just right. Plot? Not so important--and in this case it's a good thing. True, Miss Austen wrote prolifically and well for the reason many authors do--because their own lives aren't like that. Re-writing (or redirecting) reality is what the movie and novel industries are all about; controlling events, making it happen the way you want it to happen, not the way it so often does in real life. And so often, the director and writers' personal agenda gets pride of place; they wanted to show Austen as an embittered woman who "lost out" because she rejected woman's traditional role of wife and mother. If that were not the case, there would have been less emphasis on the many (apocryphal) refused proposals and they wouldn't have chosen the title "Miss Austen Regrets." I think Jane certainly regretted being poor, and being unable to be the captain of her own fate to the degree she would have liked to, but that can be said of many people today, as well. Life is what it is, and you do what you can with what you have.I watched this film in company with my own gentleman admirer, and his reaction led me to come in to IMDb and look for more information. He said, "I get the feeling someone had rented the costumes and locations for yet another period piece, finished before the deadline, and told the director, "Go ahead and use our stuff to make your film, we've got a few days left on the sheet." I was amused when reading IMDb's "Trivia" section to discover that indeed many of the costumes, interiors (and of course the actors) have appeared in other Regency romance films. It's almost as much fun as playing "spot the blue motor" and counting how many times per episode Hastings exclaims "Good Lord!"when watching the Granada series of Poirot--but not quite.

robert-temple-1 This film is so much better than 'Becoming Jane' (which deals with Jane Austen's earlier life), that it is really in another category altogether. Olivia Williams as Jane Austen in this film is scintillatingly brilliant, she truly becomes the character, and although she had already shown in 'The Heart of Me' (see my review) what a sensational actress she is, here she transcends herself. Rarely can an actress have so thoroughly 'become' a historical character as in this film. Olivia Williams has now proved that she is one of the finest actresses in Britain today. She is not vain, and is not afraid to look rough when necessary for the story, whereas Hollywood actresses do not ever want to be seen from the wrong angle, so that they become artificial. Olivia Williams really does seem to suffer with her character every step of the way. She also effervesces and bubbles with uncontrollable mischief and naughtiness, rebelling against the intolerable restrictions of life for a woman in those days. The pathos of Austen's solitary state, when women who were unmarried could not carry on any other relationships either, is vividly portrayed. Greta Scacchi is marvellous as the silent sister Cassandra, though it is hard for me to come to terms with her no longer being the dazzling starlet she was when younger, as I still envisage her as that. Imogen Poots is a mixture of charm and jealousy, feather-brained idiocy, and beaming smiles, even a touch of innate wisdom, in other words, just as full of contradictions as a real person. She pulls it all off, and we believe every aspect of her changing nature as it varies from circumstance to circumstance, laughing with her one minute and at her the next. Her versatility and instinct will doubtless bring her a fine career. Phyllida Law is marvellous as Mrs. Austen, the mother worn out by it all. Adrian Edmondson does a wonderful job as brother Henry, charming but hopeless, devoted brother and failed banker. The director, Jeremy Lovering, has never directed anything other than television material, but here he shows himself as a superb feature film director, albeit this was a film made for television. Let's hope he can now break out of the box. He is announced as director for 'The Wedding Party', and maybe that is for a larger screen. He has proved that he knows how to tease the best results out of his actors and actresses. This film is a genuine triumph, and everyone connected with it should be thrilled at the result, which could hardly be bettered. It is an instant classic, and long may it live its life as a DVD, avidly watched by anyone with an ounce of taste. And above all, what will the amazing Olivia Williams do next? Will she get all the plum roles she deserves? If there be any justice in the world at all, we will see no end of her from now every which way we turn.

prncsbtrcp This was quite good. All the acting was wonderful, especially Olivia Williams. She brought all the intelligence and wit and feeling to Jane that one would expect. The last scene between Jane and Cassandra was absolutely incredible, so beautifully done. It made me wish this had been made for theatrical release instead of "Becoming Jane." The dialogue was very well written - witty where appropriate, cutting when needed, and always intelligent and natural. My only quibble is the need to show JA regretting anything. I like to imagine that she and Cassandra and their mother (and friend who lived with them in real life) all lived happily together and had even less stress and regret than was shown in the film, although I realize that wouldn't be a very long movie. Don't know why all these bio-pics feel the need to have JA's mother trying to talk her into marrying for money, I don't think there is any basis for that. However, that aside, it was very well done.I don't understand why, in the 2007/8 BBC JA fest, this and Northanger Abbey were so good, and Persuasion and Mansfield Park we so very, very bad. Couldn't they have gotten some of the people who did such a great job on these (script, camera, production) and put them on the rest? I don't have much hope for the Sense & Sensibility, but we'll see.

saltlakefun74 I really loved this movie. I have read a biography or two about Jane Austen and this movie seemed to me much more accurate than Becoming Jane. Olivia Williams gave a brilliant performance as Jane. I also liked Imogen Poots as Fanny. The actors who were her brothers Edward and Henry were good too. I really liked the guy who played Mr. Haden too.I have enjoyed this much more than the new adaptations of her novels on Masterpiece Theatre except for Northanger Abbey. Mansfield Park and Persuasion were OK but not great and I don't know how good Sense and Sensibility is going to be.