Jane Eyre
Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Judi Dench, Jamie Bell
Director: Cary Fukunaga
Rating: 4/5
A favourite of English teachers everywhere, Jane Eyre is considered among the great novels. Which is absolute music to Hollywood ears, eager to turn this story around once again.
So Charlotte Bronte's classic is given another lick of paint, but can it match up against its acclaimed source. Short answer? Yes.
Jane Eyre is a downtrodden orphan, an outcast both at her cruel Aunt's house and later at the draconian school she's sent to. She manages to escape though by landing a role as a governess to the ward of Edward Rochester, a sullen but charismatic man with a terrible secret to hide.
While traditionally costume drama's suffer from a lack of pace, Jane Eyre rattles along nicely. Never letting that central relationship out of its sight, Jane Eyre powers through the ponderous small talk that pads out too many others, leaving many in its wake as it goes.
Jane Eyre looks and feels thoroughly modern. Sweeping cinematography and a script that feels far younger than its 19th century home make Jane Eyre an entirely refreshing place to be. Director Cary Fukunaga must take credit for such a subtle but fantastic job.
All of this would be in vain if the acting was weak, but it again steps right up to the plate.
Wasikowska takes another step away from Alice in Wonderland with a mature, measured performance fit for such a fantastic character as Jane Eyre. For all her great efforts though, she can't watch up to her co-star.
Fassbender's drives the film on like a bull whip. His Rochester is an intense, flawed man and Fassbender absolutely nails it. Hard but brittle, his performance brings Rochester, and the screen itself, to life.
Mix in great turns from supporting acts like Judi Dench and Jamie Bell (a maid and a friendly reverend respectively) and you have all the seed for success you need.
This may be tale with more versions than one can count, but few hold up as admirably as this. A costume drama unlike most costume dramas, Jane Eyre is defiantly one to watch. She may say she's "small, plain and little", but Jane Eyre's anything but that.
Jane Eyre is out Spetember 9th.
FemaleFirst Cameron Smith