Hey folks, Harry here. I saw this film with Ebert up in Chicago... While I can't speak for him, we didn't really talk about the film, I can say that I moderately liked the film. It's not really a lush look at the era, but there are a couple of sequences that I felt were quite breathtaking... including one dancing scene that I was quite fond of. The movie is a bit of a WHEN HARRY MET SALLY type of thing set in a world of repression. I liked it a bit... but I won't be writing a full review on it. I just don't have much to say about it. It's one of those... OK movies that you forget about by the end of the week, but ya might be high on for the day. Here's McFly with his take on the film...
Marty McFly here. I didn't know she had any more novels to film but someone found another Jane Austen book to bring to the screen. The movie and book is called Mansfield Park. I'll say right off the bat, I have seen Sense and Sensibility and Emma and this movie falls short of both those. This would have made a good miniseries or TV movie much like Pride and Prejudice.
The most obvious difference to me was the lack of a compelling lead character and actress to play the part. S&S had Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet, Emma had Gwyneth Paltrow but the lead actress in this film, I believe her name is Frances O'Connor, does not have the charm or beauty for the role and the character she plays is not all that appealing to begin with.
The film is about a young girl who moves from her life of poverty to herrich aunt and uncle's estate called Mansfield Park. She has to overcome the prejudice of her snobby family throughout childhood and then when the movie jumps to her adulthood, she blossoms into a smart and full-figured woman who the family comes to love and treat as an equal. The romance at the heart of the plot is between her and her cousin (played by Johnny Lee Miller), which seems sweet enough unless you think too much about the incest thing.
You always hear that Austen's novels translate to the screen so well because they are so timeless. That is true, but this film tries so hard to put modern touches into the characters that are just distracting when the film should be transporting us back to the early 1800's.
I have never read the book but someone at the screening with me had, and they didn't seem too pleased. "They changed that more than Baz Luhrmann did with Shakespeare" I heard one say. From the sound of it, the credits should say loosely based on the novel, so don't go to see this looking for a faithful adaptation. I wouldn't expect this to be the commercial success Austen's previous adaptations were and this definetly doesn't deserve any serious Oscar attention. Only check it out if you are a die-hard fan of these period dramas. Overall, a big disappointment. I'm pretty surprised by the positive critical reaction this film is getting. Well, now I'm off to see The Messenger. It better be damn good! I'll see you all in the future!
