I watched The Jane Austen Book Club last night on DVD. I'm not huge on chick flicks, since I get a little tired of seeing the perfect man end up with the perfect woman in the most unlikely circumstances... although there are times when that's exactly what I want to see. Don't try to work that out; you'll just get a headache.
This movie was fairly predictable - the characters get together to discuss Jane Austen's books and as they do that their lives start to mirror the characters and situations in the books. We could all see it coming but even so I thought it was very well done. It was fluff but not mindless fluff because there was a lot of discussion about Austen's books and a lot of jokes and/or plot points that were a lot funnier if you knew the books they subtly referenced. There was also a bit of sci-fi geek humour which I enjoyed. Not that I'd know anything about sci-fi... or geeks. I've just... you know.... I've heard. Really.
In a way it reminded me of Jasper Fforde's book The Eyre Affair. That has a lot of literary jokes that are a whole lot funnier if you've read the books he references, and especially if you know Jane Eyre well. So now my task is to read the Austen books I haven't read yet and to re-read the ones I have, and then to watch the movie again.
This movie was fairly predictable - the characters get together to discuss Jane Austen's books and as they do that their lives start to mirror the characters and situations in the books. We could all see it coming but even so I thought it was very well done. It was fluff but not mindless fluff because there was a lot of discussion about Austen's books and a lot of jokes and/or plot points that were a lot funnier if you knew the books they subtly referenced. There was also a bit of sci-fi geek humour which I enjoyed. Not that I'd know anything about sci-fi... or geeks. I've just... you know.... I've heard. Really.
In a way it reminded me of Jasper Fforde's book The Eyre Affair. That has a lot of literary jokes that are a whole lot funnier if you've read the books he references, and especially if you know Jane Eyre well. So now my task is to read the Austen books I haven't read yet and to re-read the ones I have, and then to watch the movie again.
4 comments:
Mum and I were only this week talking to each other about whether this movie would be clever and fun or stupid. Good to hear that it might be enjoyable. We might need to rent the DVD.
Oh, I will have to watch it.
Gotta love Jasper Fforde reference too!
B
I have the book if you'd like to read it before you read the Austen canon... it's what I decided to do. I start Mansfield Park once I'm finished this book on the Hollywood in the 70s...
Ooh, yes please! If you give it to Amanda or Mark on Sunday they can drop it on my desk (because I'm back at work on Wednesday... boo hoo...)
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