Review of Vanity Fair (2004) by Trevor B — 23 Mar 2011
Reese Witherspoons steps into the role of Becky Sharp, who debuted in William Makepeace Thackeray's 1847 novel of the Vanity Fair, with relish and imbues her with some of the fierce steeliness of her best role, that of Tracy Flick in 1999's Election.
She runs away with a movie not worth stealing. Witherspoons is saddles with a script from Julian Fellowes (Gosford Park) that drains Becky of her dangerous allure and makes her boringly likable. Director Mira Nair, meanwhile, is more focused on expanding the novel's Indian themes.
Fine, but Becky comes off as way too modern. The supporting cast manages to be good as well, including Jonathan Rhys-Meyers (the Tudors) as snobbish George Osborne, who says of Becky, 'I thought she was a social climber--I can see now she's a mountaineer.
' Thats about it for Vanity Fair's good qualities.
This review of Vanity Fair (2004) was written by Trevor B on 23 Mar 2011.
Vanity Fair has generally received mixed reviews.
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