The Jane Austen Book Club (2007)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Robin Swicord

Writers (WGA):

Robin Swicord (screenplay)
Karen Joy Fowler (book)

Release Date:

5 October 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

You don't have to know the books to be in the club.

Plot:

Six Californians start a club to discuss the works of Jane Austen, only to find their relationships -- both old and new -- begin to resemble 21st century versions of her novels.

Plot Keywords:

Austen | Skydiving | Affair | Book Club | Convention

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Maria Bello	...	Jocelyn
Emily Blunt	...	Prudie Drummond
Kathy Baker	...	Bernadette
Amy Brenneman	...	Sylvia Avila
Maggie Grace	...	Allegra Avila
Jimmy Smits	...	Daniel Avila
Ed Brigadier	...	Pastor
Kevin Zegers	...	Trey
Marc Blucas	...	Dean Drummond
Catherine Schreiber	...	Academic Woman
Ned Hosford	...	Waiter
Hugh Dancy	...	Grigg Harris
Messy Stench	...	Girl with Dog Collar
Chris Burket	...	Skydive Instructor
Parisa Fitz-Henley	...	Corinne

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material, sexual content, brief strong language and some drug use.

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Canada:PG | Ireland:PG | UK:12A | Germany:o.Al. | South Korea:15 | Singapore:M18 | Netherlands:AL | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Spain:7 | New Zealand:M

Filming Locations:

Encino, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Mockingbird Pictures

Trivia:

Each cast member was required to read the said book they had to discuss in the picture.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Dean is seen heading off to the NBA playoffs in early spring (March). In reality they begin in late April and continue through June.

Quotes:

Sylvia Avila: You want to do what a husband does? You want to fix things? You can't fix this. All that's gone now.

Movie Connections:

References Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)

Soundtrack:

So Sorry

Enjoyable to watch with a great ensemble cast

I saw this movie at the Toronto Int'l Film Festival and made a point of learning as little as possible about what it was about and who was in it. Such a refreshing way to be invited into a story.

Though this movie will never win an academy award and it's premise revolves around a well-known British author, this is a very "Hollywood" movie.

The ensemble cast is like a large-scale painting with each character portraying different colours and brush strokes. Their diversity brings perspective and depth to the story.

I loved Bernadette's (Kathy Baker) ballsy and ebullient pseudo-matriarchal figure; and I silently cheered for Jocelyn (Maria Bello) to break out of her disciplined and 'in-control' habits, but it was Emily Blunt's portrayal of Prudie that shone a light giving the sharpest and most emotional contrast of all. She, who steadfastly distanced herself from the social class she grew up in, and worked tirelessly to elevate herself "to the manor born", convinced herself, with her stylish bob, Chanel-esquire attire and fanciful forays into french phrasology, that she was beyond the mundane and ordinary. She convinced me she was both strong and fragile, and my heart broke along with hers. What a lovely performance.

This isn't high-brow film by any means. The audience's biggest challenge is listening for and extracting the many Austen quotes that get zipped and zinged throughout the film. We are ultimately drawn to watching the ever-changing relationships, like petri dishes being poked and provoked.

This movie will be enjoyable even for those unfamiliar with Jane Austen's novels. A visually appealing, emotionally satisfying, safe and somewhat predictable film. Most likely to be pegged as a chick flick because it's heavy on relationships. Guys' loss.