WHO’S IN IT?
Keri Russell (The Americans), J.J. Feild (Captain America: The First Avenger), Bret McKenzie (Flight of the Conchords), Jennifer Coolidge (American Pie), James Callis (Bridget Jones’ Diary), Jane Seymour (Live and Let Die), Georgia King (One Day), Ricky Whittle (Hollyoaks)
WHO’S BEHIND THE CAMERA?
Jerusha Hess (film debut), director, co-writer; Shannon Hale (film debut), co-writer; Stephanie Meyer (Twilight) and Gina Mingacci (The Prime Gig), producers; Ilan Eshkeri (Kick-Ass), composer; Larry Smith (Bronson), cinematographer; Nick Fenton (Submarine), editor
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
Jane Hayes (Russell) is a thirty-year-old woman whose obsession for the world of Jane Austen – and in particular Colin Firth’s portrayal of Mr Darcy in a BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice – reaches critical, uncomfortable levels. After her boyfriend dumps her, she travels to a Jane Austen-themed resort in England to find her own British lover, and hijinks ensue…
WHY SHOULD YOU BE EXCITED?
Of all the classic authors in literature history, perhaps the one with the most obsessive fan base is Pride and Prejudice author Jane Austen. Proudly dubbing themselves “Janeites”, the mostly female-centric group of appreciators heavily indulge themselves in the works of the English novelist and anything that directly links in to them. Probably appropriate, then, that Hollywood has caught on to the phenomena and made Austenland to allow the Janeites to feel as accepted as the Trekkies and Twi-Hards.
Speaking of Twilight, you may have noticed that this movie has a direct link to that infamous series of books/films. Stephanie Meyer, the author and creator of the series, is credited as a producer on this film which, to be honest, actually makes some form of sense (yes, we know, something about Twilight actually makes sense, we’re surprised at that as well). While Meyer is light years away from being as celebrated or revered as Austen was and continues to be, she of course has extreme knowledge and awareness of how big a following her books, and subsequent film adaptations, have gotten over the years. So to be involved in some capacity with a film that more or less celebrates fandom is a logical step to make in her short life span as a movie producer.
However, while Austenland undoubtedly celebrates Janeites it also acknowledges that perhaps they’re getting a bit too carried away with their obsessions. The main protagonist, as played by Keri Russell, is described as a serious admirer of Austen and her works to the extent that she inadvertently shuts the rest of the world out, including her boyfriend who breaks up with her early on. As she finds her place at a specially-created resort for Janeites to go and have the full Austen experience – with her very own Jennifer Coolidge as the comic relief sidekick – the question doesn’t exactly seem to be of whether she will find a suitor or not (one of the candidates being one-half of Flight of the Conchords Bret McKenzie). Instead, it very politely offers the thought that maybe obsessed fans like these should think about possibly getting a life and focus on other, much bigger problems in life rather than run away from them.
Perhaps it doesn’t exactly do this, and given the main critical consensus in the US about it being a basic rom-com formula with added slapstick it wouldn’t be much of a surprise if they didn’t go that route, but Austenland still sets out to be a charming movie with an intriguing premise and eclectic cast including Russell, McKenzie, Coolidge and prominent thespian Jane Seymour. Whether your inner Janeite urges you to go out of your way to see this film is entirely up to you, just be glad that you have the option to check it out for yourself.
