Breaking up, jealousies, match making and a bid for second chances are the themes of this vibrant and uplifting film that explores life, love and desire.
Comment
01/24/08
The Jane Austen Book Club (2007)
65
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:110
Fresh:72
Rotten:38
Average Rating:6.1/10
Consensus: Though at times formulaic and sentimental, Jane Austen Book Club succeeds on the strength of its likable ensemble cast. Even those not familiar with Jane Austen's work may find much to enjoy this lighthearted romance.
Runtime: 1 hr 46 mins
Genre: Romance, Women, Based On A Novel, Theatrical Release
US Box Office: $3,334,613
Synopsis: Life imitates art in this adaptation of Karen Joy Fowler's bestselling novel about a book group reading the work of Jane Austen. Each of the people in the group is at a different stage of life:... [More]
Starring: Kathy Baker, Maria Bello, Marc Blucas, Emily Blunt
Director: Robin Swicord
Reviews for The Jane Austen Book Club
Top CriticPositively marinated in oestrogen, this is aimed at middle-aged females – the more unhappily married the better – with the cardiganed cast spending much of the running time drinking tea on verandas and moaning about men over their knitting.
11/16/07
THIS beautifully acted story is, underneath it all, a fairly formulaic chick flick.
11/16/07
The episodes roll by in smooth progression, and the talkiness has the round, impassioned tones of readers ignited by fiction.
09/28/07
The arch tone coupled with the compassion for the foibles of existence are everywhere in evidence here, brought to life with sterling performances by an ensemble cast that works as a cohesive whole while being standouts individually
09/19/07
The cast alone makes The Jane Austen Book Club good -- though not great -- entertainment for at least the bookish moviegoers among us.
09/26/07
Quite a nice little relationship comedy-drama, but essentially for an audience of what the French charmingly call ‘women of a certain age’. Totally not the Superbad set, then.
11/14/07
Top CriticEveryone is given their due and dignity in this funny, sexy, humanist film that, if it is a chick flick, gives the genre a good name.
09/27/07
Top CriticJust fine in a sentimental, mainstream kind of way. Although by constantly referencing Austen’s sharp wit and characterisation, this can only ever come up short in comparison.
11/14/07
The Jane Austen Book Club is both a testament to Austen's continued relevance and a fine example of classroom particulars converted into entertaining banter without losing any oomph.
02/28/08
It's a sprawling story of heartbreak and friendship, and while it doesn't pack true passion, it has a fireside, knitted-sweater charm about it that creates an affable viewing experience.
10/04/07
Gives us a peek into the vulnerabilities, clever wit, well-intentioned manipulations and unpredictable anxieties of the female mind.
10/22/07
Swicord has a playful sense of humor and a good ear for dialogue, and the movie pleasantly accomplishes what it set out to accomplish.
09/20/07
Top CriticDirector Robin Swicord introduces just enough hustle and bustle to demonstrate that the romantic joys and negotiations found in Austen's plots can survive in any era or setting.
10/05/07
The acting ensemble is as colorful, and thorny, as a garden of Austen archetypes.
09/28/07
You don't have to have a library card to enjoy this story.
10/05/07
Everything the recent faux-biopic Becoming Jane got wrong, The Jane Austen Book Club gets right by successfully marrying frothy romantic comedy, painful drama and a smart knowledge of the writer’s literary classics.
10/04/07
The film has an undeniable, easygoing charm. Real life is seldom so pleasingly plotted, but then real life is what people go to movies like this to get away from.
10/04/07
This marvelously intelligent romantic comedy will captivate even those who don't know or care much about Austen, although there's undeniably an extra layer of pure delight to be found if you do.
10/05/07
One gets to the end of the film believing in the redemptive power of love, as well as the excitement of reading a good book.
10/05/07
Latest News for The Jane Austen Book Club
October 07, 2007:
Box Office Guru Wrapup: Rock Defeats Heartbreak Kid To Defend Box Office Title
Ben Stiller's new comedy The Heartbreak Kid stumbled in its opening frame and forced the overall box office to plunge to the worst October weekend in eight years. Incumbent... More...
October 04, 2007:
Critical Consensus: Heartbreak Needs Discipline, Jane Worth Perusing, Seeker Reeks
This week at the movies, we've got honeymooners (The Heartbreak Kid, starring Ben Stiller and Michelle Monhagan), teenage heroes (The Seeker, starring Alexander Ludwig),... More...
September 20, 2007:
Critical Consensus: Chuck is No Good, Sydney White is No Fairy Tale, Eastern Exceeds Promises
This week at the movies, we've got cursed couples (Good Luck Chuck, starring Dane Cook and Jessica Alba), a collegiate Snow White (Sydney White, starring Amanda Bynes), the... More...
September 12, 2007:
Maria Bello Talks Mummy 3
While promoting The Jane Austen Book Club at the Toronto International Film Festival, Maria Bello talked to reporters about her role in The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. More...
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