for a single man of good fortune, must be in want of a wife
I went to see Pride and Prejudice tonight.
So, it actually wasn't that bad. At all.
It was never going to live up to the BBC Mini-series, mainly because it was about three hours shorter. They didn't have time to build relationships up and include everything, and I was actually pleasantly surprised by how much they did get in. It was short on Wickham (you really didn't get time to dislike him), but other than that, it really wasn't too bad.
The cinematographer (Roman Osin) went to town, and I loved him for it. There were some absolutely beautiful shots and some really quite imaginative ones. It was by far prettier than the mini-series and felt a lot less, in the words of my friend, 'contrived.' It felt a little more real and I like that. There were just little touches that did it. I just loved little things like the singing maid.
Acting wise, Keira really did a fine job. She wasn't perfect but she did do Lizzy justice. Matthew MacFadyen had a few more problems, but mostly he was fine. I almost, almost think I prefer his portrayl to Colin Firth's (my friend told me jokingly to get out of her house when I told her this :p), but I couldn't really tell you why. (Small things maybe, like the smile he had when he was with Georgiana ...) Judi Dench was as awesome as ever and Rosamund Pike played a very good Jane. Donald Sutherland ... eh, the accent bugged me. He redeemed himself a little at the end (I loved the end scene between Mr.Bennett and Lizzy), but mostly he kind of annoyed me and I adore Mr. Bennet as a character.
Lizzy seemed a lot ... younger than the BBC Mini-series would have you believe. Keira really gets to use that grin of hers, especailly at the start. It's nice. They did kind of paint her as a bookworm at the start, which she's not ('I'm not a great reader') but I think they managed to rectify that.
As for Elizabeth and Darcy's relationship, I was sold. The proposal scene I thought was very well acted and at the end when Lizzy was falling for him were quite well done. The end was also very nice. I'm not quite sure about the Darcy's charging up the field with shirt open scene, but then I'm not a huge fan of the lake scene either; they just seem gratuitiuos.
One thing I did find suprising, the movie actually briefly made me feel for both Mr Collins and Mrs Bennet. Just for a small moment, but it was there. The rest of the time I was hiding my face and cringing like I always do. ;)
Lydia was annoying as she always is. To me anyway. I really can't stand her.
Kitty looking at Wickham near the end was just priceless.
As was the scene with Mr Collins standing behind Mr Darcy and coming up to his ... lower back. Hilarious.
The way they cut some of the lines did kind of ruin a few moments. For example, when Darcy watches Elizabeth play the piano, the line about 'practicing' is cut a little short and it ruins it a bit if you know the whole line. Also, Elizabeth and Darcy's banter when she visits Netherfield at the start is cut short. It does ruin things a little.
I really liked how they ended it. The wedding scene at the end of the mini-series always bugged me.
Shallow: Rosamund Pike and Keira were just gorgeous in this movie. So pretty. And Matthew MacFadyen had his moments too.
All in all, it definitely wasn't perfect, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Then again, I just love the story. It's easily one of my favourite books, so I was always going to like it unless they made a real hash of it, which they didn't.
Edit: Completely forgot TWW was on tonight. *headdesk*
So, it actually wasn't that bad. At all.
It was never going to live up to the BBC Mini-series, mainly because it was about three hours shorter. They didn't have time to build relationships up and include everything, and I was actually pleasantly surprised by how much they did get in. It was short on Wickham (you really didn't get time to dislike him), but other than that, it really wasn't too bad.
The cinematographer (Roman Osin) went to town, and I loved him for it. There were some absolutely beautiful shots and some really quite imaginative ones. It was by far prettier than the mini-series and felt a lot less, in the words of my friend, 'contrived.' It felt a little more real and I like that. There were just little touches that did it. I just loved little things like the singing maid.
Acting wise, Keira really did a fine job. She wasn't perfect but she did do Lizzy justice. Matthew MacFadyen had a few more problems, but mostly he was fine. I almost, almost think I prefer his portrayl to Colin Firth's (my friend told me jokingly to get out of her house when I told her this :p), but I couldn't really tell you why. (Small things maybe, like the smile he had when he was with Georgiana ...) Judi Dench was as awesome as ever and Rosamund Pike played a very good Jane. Donald Sutherland ... eh, the accent bugged me. He redeemed himself a little at the end (I loved the end scene between Mr.Bennett and Lizzy), but mostly he kind of annoyed me and I adore Mr. Bennet as a character.
Lizzy seemed a lot ... younger than the BBC Mini-series would have you believe. Keira really gets to use that grin of hers, especailly at the start. It's nice. They did kind of paint her as a bookworm at the start, which she's not ('I'm not a great reader') but I think they managed to rectify that.
As for Elizabeth and Darcy's relationship, I was sold. The proposal scene I thought was very well acted and at the end when Lizzy was falling for him were quite well done. The end was also very nice. I'm not quite sure about the Darcy's charging up the field with shirt open scene, but then I'm not a huge fan of the lake scene either; they just seem gratuitiuos.
One thing I did find suprising, the movie actually briefly made me feel for both Mr Collins and Mrs Bennet. Just for a small moment, but it was there. The rest of the time I was hiding my face and cringing like I always do. ;)
Lydia was annoying as she always is. To me anyway. I really can't stand her.
Kitty looking at Wickham near the end was just priceless.
As was the scene with Mr Collins standing behind Mr Darcy and coming up to his ... lower back. Hilarious.
The way they cut some of the lines did kind of ruin a few moments. For example, when Darcy watches Elizabeth play the piano, the line about 'practicing' is cut a little short and it ruins it a bit if you know the whole line. Also, Elizabeth and Darcy's banter when she visits Netherfield at the start is cut short. It does ruin things a little.
I really liked how they ended it. The wedding scene at the end of the mini-series always bugged me.
Shallow: Rosamund Pike and Keira were just gorgeous in this movie. So pretty. And Matthew MacFadyen had his moments too.
All in all, it definitely wasn't perfect, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Then again, I just love the story. It's easily one of my favourite books, so I was always going to like it unless they made a real hash of it, which they didn't.
Edit: Completely forgot TWW was on tonight. *headdesk*