I'd like to first make it clear that I enjoyed this film and James McAvoy's charming and sexy performance puts this film on my DVD purchase list. At times it did remind me of Pride & Prejudice 2005, but it fell a bit short, (primarily because this story wasn't written by Jane Austen!).
We truly know very little about the flirtation between Tom LeFroy and Jane Austen, so much of this film is speculation. I had to keep reminding myself that this was fiction and not biography, lest I be offended at the filmmaker's liberties.
I cringed a bit at the sexy bad boy being portrayed as more desirable than the less exciting, maladroit, available suitor (Mr. Wisley), and I felt bad for the nonathletic, socially awkward gentleman (who is made out to be a bad guy so that you don't feel too terrible for disliking him because he's unattractive). With maturity one learns that the "nice guy" when given the chance can be just as desirable. Truth be told, when Mr. Wisley talks with Jane by the brook at the end of the movie, and you see that he has good character, you start to wonder why she wouldn't try to get to know him better, since many men who at first seem awkward and unsure, can become exciting and desirable on closer inspection.
There are many funny and charming moments in the movie (even unexpectedly from Mr. & Mrs. Austen), and Anne Hathaway did a fine British accent with only a few minor slip-ups that are completely forgivable.
Tom LeFroy's descendants will probably cringe at the way he is portrayed (although I quite enjoyed it, he's yummy!) but it was hard to see why this scoundrel would fall for Jane. In addition, the story has him deciding to run off with Jane, despite the financial ruin that will come to his own family (they are depending upon him for support), which might make one respect him a little less.
Despite the film's problems, I loved the humor and the passionate, romantic parts and because I am a romantic at heart and was perfectly willing to suspend belief for the sake of 2 hours of entertainment, I did ultimately enjoy this movie.
We truly know very little about the flirtation between Tom LeFroy and Jane Austen, so much of this film is speculation. I had to keep reminding myself that this was fiction and not biography, lest I be offended at the filmmaker's liberties.
I cringed a bit at the sexy bad boy being portrayed as more desirable than the less exciting, maladroit, available suitor (Mr. Wisley), and I felt bad for the nonathletic, socially awkward gentleman (who is made out to be a bad guy so that you don't feel too terrible for disliking him because he's unattractive). With maturity one learns that the "nice guy" when given the chance can be just as desirable. Truth be told, when Mr. Wisley talks with Jane by the brook at the end of the movie, and you see that he has good character, you start to wonder why she wouldn't try to get to know him better, since many men who at first seem awkward and unsure, can become exciting and desirable on closer inspection.
There are many funny and charming moments in the movie (even unexpectedly from Mr. & Mrs. Austen), and Anne Hathaway did a fine British accent with only a few minor slip-ups that are completely forgivable.
Tom LeFroy's descendants will probably cringe at the way he is portrayed (although I quite enjoyed it, he's yummy!) but it was hard to see why this scoundrel would fall for Jane. In addition, the story has him deciding to run off with Jane, despite the financial ruin that will come to his own family (they are depending upon him for support), which might make one respect him a little less.
Despite the film's problems, I loved the humor and the passionate, romantic parts and because I am a romantic at heart and was perfectly willing to suspend belief for the sake of 2 hours of entertainment, I did ultimately enjoy this movie.