Review of Pride & Prejudice (2005) by Jesse B — 16 Jun 2013

I basically watched it on a dare -- and because it's one of my friends favorite movies. Pride and Prejudice is not the typical film I would endeavor to watch. In the past I've called myself a film connoisseur, but in reality I'm merely an overly qualified movie fan. And something of a film snob. I've never entertained the idea that I have enough time to waste watching film after film if it does not, in some way immediately spark my interest. Hence the reason why I refrain from viewing more than one superhero movie a year.

In the case of Pride and Prejudice, my prejudice came in the form of period costume drama. I had not the patience nor the desire to sit down for two hours watching people speak in polite, rhetorical fashion which preserves both posterity and class distinction in their understanding. In other words, it sounded boring as hell. This is where the dare came in. In fact, it was less the dare and more the understanding of my dear friend's love for the picture which ultimately lured me into Ms. Austen's talons; for I was swept away by this film as prey to the hunter.

To alleviate the curiosity of any reader who may have found there way to this summary, I shall explain the dare: The film, Pride and Prejudice was lent to me by a friend (different friend but just as dear) who procured it from her local library. Along with this film she borrowed a another upon my suggested, entitled "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (yes, the 1956 cold war-era science fiction thriller). I had previously explained to her the greatness of "Body Snatchers" and delved slightly into its allegorical subtext, ensuring her that this film is indeed of a rare and bygone quality. Knowing that this was a film which stirred great affection from the friend previously mentioned, Liane (friend with the library card) offered to let my borrow the film from her. A night after I had been given "Pride and Prejudice", I received a message from Liane which said that her husband, Dennis expressed an irreconcilable indifference to the idea of a film which dealt in an alien race who has come to take over humanity. I thus told Liane that if Dennis watches "Body Snatchers" I would watch "Prejudice". Thence the dare I mentioned earlier.

I found the film to be difficult to penetrate at first (as most films are which deal in this particular period). Upon further viewing it was easy to allow myself to become entangled in the headstrong and brashly mouthed Elizabeth Bennet and the quiet and oft misunderstood Mr. Darcy. I dare say I found myself strapped to my seat, deeply engaged with the film and look forward to viewing it again to extract its deeper levels of meaning.