Austenland
[kkstarratings]
Director: Jerusha Hess
Cast: Keri Russell, JJ Feild, Jennifer Coolidge
Length: 96 minutes
Country: UK/USA
Where on earth do I even begin? When I booked my ticket for Austenland, I expected to see a pretty average Austen rip-off. However, this was not quite what I got.
It’s fair to say that the film was pretty bad. The story line was weak throughout much of the film, and most of the characters irritated me – I particularly couldn’t stand Jennifer Coolidge’s character Miss Elizabeth Charming, a flamboyant (and unbelievably stupid) middle-aged woman who becomes close friends with the movie’s heroine, Jane Hayes (Keri Russell). In fact, whenever I heard her voice, I found myself wanting to run out of the cinema screaming.
I also felt that the film had been advertised misleadingly. After watching the trailer, you can’t be blamed for thinking that the movie is your typical heart-warming rom-com. You wouldn’t suspect that it is in actual fact a surreal comedy that would have most Austen-fans crying out in anguish. Twenty minutes into the film, and I was cursing myself for having spent hard-earned money (£4.00 to be precise) on the cinema ticket.
Despite these criticisms, I have to admit that things turned around, and I ended up quite enjoying it. Can a film be so bad that it is actually good? For a start, I can’t remember the last time that I have laughed so much. I acknowledge that there was no hint of Austen’s original and witty sense of humour, however this was not necessarily a bad thing. The film did not aim to simply duplicate and adapt Austen for a ‘modern audience’ as many mediocre Austen- inspired dramas (namely ITV’s ‘Lost in Austen’) have done. Rather, it took its own take on Austen; it certainly cannot be accused of lacking originality.
JJ Feild, who played the character of Mr. Henry Nobley, certainly did justice to the role of the Austen hero. For those Austen-fanatics out there, he did indeed play Mr Henry Tilney in the 2007 film, Northanger Abbey. As ever, he got the role spot on, striking the balance perfectly between a well-mannered and good-natured gentleman, and a stand-offish character akin to Pride and Prejudice’s Mr Darcy. Russell also played her part of Jane very well.
The film may be a silly comedy on one level, however it also has a deeper thread present. The film’s main character, Jane, is a woman who is obsessed with anything and everything Austen. Her dreams therefore seem fulfilled when she books a trip to the Austen-themed resort, ‘Austenland’. However, things do not turn out how she expected them to, and she soon realises that she has spent too much time in her world of Austen. In this way, the movie draws familiarities with Jane Austen’s gothic parody, Northanger Abbey, a novel about a young girl with a dangerous preoccupation with novels.
Also, both Jane Hayes and Miss Elizabeth Charming are particularly taken by Captain George East (Ricky Whittle), a former television actor who has an obsession with taking his shirt off and being very dramatic. However, this could be a metaphor for us Austen fans and our fixation with Mr Darcy (the BBC’s 1995 Pride and Prejudice comes to mind!). Is it acceptable for us to idolise our Austen heroes the way we do?
Furthermore, one of my favourite aspects of the film is the fact that the ‘staff’ in the resort are actors, playing their roles to ensure that the guests have as enjoyable a stay as possible. Towards the end, Jane finds herself getting confused – who is acting and who is not? Once again, there is a lesson to be learnt – be careful who you trust as things aren’t always as they seem.
So what have I learnt from this movie? I shouldn’t spend my life longing to be an Austen heroine. Neither should I take what I see at face value. And most importantly, I should never play “It’s Getting Hot In Here” on a piano when in the company of the upper class.
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