Love and Friendship reminds us that, at the movies, character will always matter, and sharp dialogue will never age. In a summer filled with action films that rely on character generation, it’s refreshing to discover a movie that naturally emerges from a world of thought and reason. Whether commenting on the presence of peas on a dinner plate, or contemplating which of the commandments may not be necessary, Bennett perfectly captures the audacity some can bring to the basic requirements of daily life. As strong as her work, though, Tom Bennett skips away with the performance honors as a man whose lack of self-awareness barely overshadows his abundance of self-congratulation. In a series of conversations – some directly lifted and others expanded from Austen’s text – Beckinsale soars as a woman of substance who dares to hide her layers because she knows how people respond to the superficial. Kate Beckinsale, an actress who rarely gets such an opportunity to show off on screen, demonstrates how intelligence, humor and style can create an unbeatable combination when a woman takes on the weaker men in her world. The new film crackles with the sharp, witty dialogue that Austen herself could have created had she been a screenwriter instead of a novelist. The result gives a movie audience a richer look at the characters that Austen inspired readers to imagine. Like Thompson, Stillman adds substance that Austen suggests rather than precisely duplicating what Austen penned. Such an approach may work on the written page – where readers can take the time to absorb – but not on screen when the filmmaker must set the rhythm. Just as Thompson adapted Sense and Sensibility (and doctored the Pride and Prejudice script) Stillman savors the soul of Austen’s view of the world without limiting the action to the author’s short, deliberate conversations. Movies are rarely so enjoyable.Īs if following Thompson’s “how to adapt Jane Austen to the screen” instruction booklet, writer/director Whit Stillman stokes the heart of Austen’s prose while making necessary embellishments for the screen. No matter who should get the credit, the film is a lot of fun as the characters prance around uttering romantic nonsense while dressed in delicious, pompous outfits. As much as Austen may be the source, the film’s sound and tone are directly influenced by Thompson’s view of such pursuits. The film’s appealing plot – of a young widow who fills her days manipulating relationships around her – reflects Austen’s view of the follies people follow when pursuing romantic entanglements.

Thompson’s creative spirit fills the new romantic comedy Love and Friendship that credits a pair of Jane Austen stories for its narrative.

Love and friendship jane austen