Joe Wright is one of the most exciting British directors around and he returns this week with Pan, which is inspired by the characters created by J.M. Barrie.
Pride & Prejudice
While Wright is no stranger to bringing literary classics to the big screen, Pan will be the first time that he has stepped into the world of the big budget blockbuster and family film entertainment.
However, it was a book adaptation that was to kick of Wright's filmmaking career back in 2005 - yes this movie really is a decade old already - as he put his own stamp on Pride & Prejudice, which was based on the novel of the same name by Jane Austen.
I have to admit, I am not a fan of the television series that turned Colin Firth into a heart-throb and was delighted to see this great story with a terrific central female character return to the big screen ten years ago.
Pride & Prejudice was the movie that immediately put Wright on the map and it is hard to believe that this movie marked his feature film directorial debut.
While we have seen many adaptation of this much-loved novels for both TV and film over the years, there was something incredibly fresh about Wright's adaptation and you never felt you were covering the same old ground and story as an audience member.
Of course, couldn't capture the lives and the time in which the story was set in as much depth as the television series, but Wright beautifully brought to life the time and the customs of that time.
When it comes to Pride & Prejudice, the casting of heroine Elizabeth Bennet is the most important point... and Keira Knightley really does do a fantastic job in the iconic role. Much like the film, there is modern feel to this character - she is very much a woman ahead of her time and wants to live her life on her own terms and her own way.
I have always been a big fan of Knightley and she really does breathe new life into this character, capturing her stubbornness, her strength, and her vulnerability beautifully. Knightley has a terrific chemistry with Matthew Macfadyen, who takes on the role of Mr Darcy, and the pair bicker and banter beautifully from the moment that they meet.
But they are two characters that you root for right from the beginning. They could be two characters that you struggle to like but Knightley and Macfadyen do inject them with a warmth that makes you want them to be together. Of course, we all know how the story ends, but it is great to see these two characters reach that end point.
Judi Dench, Rosamund Pike, Jena Malone, Carey Mulligan, Kelly Reilly, and Tom Hollander were also on the cast list, while Donald Sutherland and Brenda Blethyn made the roles of Mr and Mrs Bennet their own.
Pride & Prejudice was a faithful adaptation of Austen's novel while injecting new life into a story and characters that we all know so well. Throw in some beautiful visuals and some wonderful performances, and you have one of the best period drams to hit the big screen in the last decade.
Pride & Prejudice went on to be both a critical and commercial hit upon release - topping the UK box office. It picked up four Oscar nominations, including Best Actress for Knightley. This was the first nod for the British actress but she lost out to Reese Witherspoon for her performance as June Carter in biopic Walk the Line.
Pan is released 16th October.
Tagged in Keira Knightley Joe Wright