Review of Pride & Prejudice (2005) by Seth S — 16 May 2014

People who go for this sort of thing will find Pride and Prejudice exactly the sort of thing that they go for. People who don't go for this sort of thing will get exactly the sort of thing they expect - and yet there's a very good chance that they'll still find some enjoyment in Pride and Prejudice. Transcending beyond the assumed audience is key for a movie like this. Because lets be honest, a (somewhat) stuffy 18th century drama about love between two levels of the British class system is not something that would tickle the fancy of most male moviegoers. And yet this movie, at least for me, was entirely enjoyable and far better than most films of similar ilk.

And I guess the movie has Jane Austen to thank for that. I was required to read the 1813 novel (that this movie is an adaption of ... bet you couldn't have figured that one out) this year for school. What started out as a requirement quickly turned into something genuinely enjoyable, much to my chagrin. My preconceived notion of the book turned out to be completely false. In its place, I found a witty, sarcastic, endearing, and engrossing novel that brought me to the realization that, "maybe this book is popular for a reason." I really enjoyed Pride and Prejudice.

And yet, going into this movie, I had the same expectations. Sure, by that point I knew that the director, Joe Wright, had great source material to work with. But than the classic question arose, "how can they adapt a book that's three or four hundred pages long into a two hour movie?" I twice doubted this story, and I was twice proven wrong. I'm still not quite sure how the filmmakers were able to cram so much into this movie, but I can't deny that they do. It's a streamlined version, but everything that was significant in the novel is brought successfully onto the screen. I really enjoyed Pride and Prejudice yet again!

The story revolves around Elizabeth and Jane Bennet, and their relationships with Charles Bingley and his friend, Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth and Jane are charming individuals, but they live below the upper class. Bingley and Darcy are rich, and the latter gives off a distinct aura of contemptibility. The story masterfully intertwines a couple of different interpersonal relationships.

As I mentioned before, screenwriter Deborah Moggach and director Joe Wright do an exceptional job of condensing are rather large book into a concise and digestible movie. Because the vast majority of the book is just conversations, you can tell that Wright made the conscious effort to add interesting aspects to these scenes of dialogue. For instance, in the classic first marriage proposal scene between Elizabeth and Darcy - Wright moves the action from simply inside a house in broad daylight, to rain and overcast skies, outside, under a beautiful stone gazebo. It's little tweaks like this that add a certain level of freshness to this well-known story.

Wright also uses very slight zoom-ins during scenes of dialogue. They feel a bit weird, but they do bring focus to important parts of scenes. I'm guessing that was his aim. In addition, the cinematography present here turns simple shots into things of beauty.

The performances in this movie are spot-on, and casting in this movie is pitch perfect! I'm not just talking Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen (who are both fantastic!). No, the filmmakers here are totally in tuned with each and every character. Starting at the top, Keira Knightley was worthily awarded an Academy Award nomination for her performance as Lizzy Bennet. It's not really out of her range to play a classical character like this - she's done it many a time - but she is, nonetheless, very good.

Matthew Macfadyen is not only playing a fantastic character, but he's also playing him fantastically well. While both Darcy and Elizabeth have unique character arcs throughout the story, I think Darcy's is the more difficult task to pull off. And Macfadyen is up to the challenge. He can be thoroughly unlikable at times, but the good heart of the character manages to shine through as the movie progresses.

In casting Elizabeth's sisters, Joe Wright seemed to have had a knack for plucking talented actresses before their careers took off. Lydia and Kitty are played by Jena Malone and Carey Mulligan. Long before Malone started lighting up the screen as Johanna Mason in The Hunger Games, she was totally embodying the frivolous and shallow Lydia Bennet. And long before Mulligan was playing Daisy opposite Leonardo DiCaprio's Jay Gatsby, she was making her film debut as Kitty. Rosamund Pike is given perhaps the most uninteresting character in the movie. In both the book and the movie, Jane is 100% good natured throughout the entire duration. Still, Pike does what she can with the material.

The Bennet parents are both played to the hilt, but in different ways. Brenda Blethyn is disgustingly shallow as Mrs. Bennet ... exactly as she was in the book. And playing my favorite character in the movie, Mr. Bennet, Donald Sutherland does what he always does. He's such a phenomenal actor, and Mr. Bennet is such a funny character. He definitely has the funniest lines in the movie! In addition, Tom Hollander, Judi Dench, and Kelly Reilly are all perfectly cast in supporting roles.

Dario Marianelli's score rises above the genre standard for classical scores for historical movies. It's become one of the most iconic things about the film. His theme for piano that often crops up, played by the actors on screen, is excellent. The score is well worthy of the Oscar nomination it received.

Sometimes, low expectations can be a movie's best friend. Sometimes, being thoroughly well made can propel a movie beyond one or two shortcomings. And sometimes, a movie that fits squarely into the last genre in the world that would appeal to this reviewer, actually turns out to be a great film!

"Well, if Jane does die, it will be a comfort to know she was in pursuit of Mr. Bingley." 8/10.