Love Of The Week...

This week's love is slightly different to the others, in that this blog wont have all the regular categories. This week, it's a movie!

Love of the week: The Jane Austen Book Club

What is it?: The Jane Austen Book Club is the 2007 film adaptation of the 2004 Novel of the same name. The novel was penned by Karen Joy Fowler, and focuses on six Californians, who arrange the perfect 'antidote to life', an "All Austen, All The Time" book club.

Each member is responsible for a novel, and a meeting is held each month. Over the six months, the audience see the characters change and grow, and we see them realise the things we have known all along.

The club consists of;

• Jocelyn - happily unmarried dog breeder
• Sylvia - recently dumped by her husband
• Allegra - Sylvia's lesbian daughter
• Bernadette - a six-time divorcee
• Prudie - "a French teacher who's never been to France"
• Grigg - a sci-fi fan and 'Austen Virgin'
  

As the months pass, each of the members show characteristics similar to those of Austen's characters and reacts to their lives in much the same way their fictional counterparts would. Bernadette is the mother figure who longs to see everyone find happiness. Sylvia clings to her belief in love and devotion. Jocelyn denies her own feelings for Grigg while playing matchmaker for him and Sylvia. Prudie, with her inattentive husband Dean and a free-spirited, weed-smoking, hippie mother, desperately tries not to give in to her feelings for a student. Allegra, an adventurous young girl, who tends to meet her lovers whilst risking her life. Grigg is attracted to Jocelyn and is stunned by her apparent lack of interest in him, displayed through her reluctance to read Ursula K. Le Guin novels.

Why do I love it?: The Jane Austen Book Club, really is a movie that I could (and no doubt will) watch time and time again, and never get bored. Knowing the ending will never ruin it for me.

It is, when it comes down to it, a romance. I, for one, am not entirely sure why romance films are frowned upon. When written, acted and directed well, romance movies can be amazing.
I'm not saying that this is the best movie you'll ever see, I'm just saying that it's a sweet film, it's a nice film, and it's one I'll definitely be watching again.

Cast List:

Main Cast:

Maria Bello - Jocelyn
Amy Brenneman - Sylvia
Kathy Baker - Bernadette
Hugh Dancy - Grigg
Emily Blunt - Prudie
Maggie Grace - Allegra

Supporting Cast:

Jimmy Smits: Daniel
Kevin Zegers - Trey
Parisa Fitz-Henley - Corinne
Gwendoline Yeo - Dr. Yep
Marc Blucas - Dean
Lynn Redgrave - 'Mama Sky'

Also a major plus, there is not one dud performance in this film. I was familiar with many of the main cast beforehand, the only leading role actor I was unfamiliar with being Maggie Grace. I am glad to say that there were no disappointments in regard to performances. (note: I just realised that sounds kind of dodgy, but I kept it in anyway.)

Oh, and Hugh Dancy is totally from the same place as me, so that's awesome!



Oh and my new thing is recommendations, so here goes...

Movies: The Jane Austen Book Club (of course), Thank You For Smoking and Role Models
Music: Florence And The Machine, Jenny Owen Youngs, The Sound Of Arrows and Gavin Portland (I stole two of Raimy's there, I admit)
TV: How I Met Your Mother, 30 Rock, Project Runway and The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Other/ Online: THIS!, Liz Feldman, find me stuff to recommend.