Review of Love & Friendship (2016) by Foxgrove — 05 Jun 2016

The reasons that this less well known Jane Austen novel has taken so long to reach the screen becomes all too obvious in this unsatisfactory adaptation. Whilst the screenplay is very literate and not without its moments of humour, the barrage of verbiage finally adds up to little in the way of real drama.

The cast give it their all and Kate Beckinsale is suitably conniving and manipulative as Lady Susan. Ultimately, though, it remains a resolutely small and unambitious chamber piece. The high production values that helped elevate both ‘Emma’ and ‘Sense and Sensibility’ are sorely missing here, even if the costumes on display are beautiful in themselves.

Love and Friendship is finally and fatally undone by its lack of dramatic incident.