Jane Austen has been a longtime favorite of film makers and BBC programmers. Her novels of women's plights and the wonderful clothes that upper class English people wear have become the modern fairy tale model. As a result, it was almost inevitable that the Hallmark Channel would use Miss Austen's PRIDE AND PREJUDICE as the basis for one of their movies.
Unhappily, in doing so, they have reduced the story to a series of incidents that ignore Miss Austen's close observation and musings on women's place in society to a standard romcon formula. The leads may be named Elizabeth and Darcy, but the whole is handled in a mechanical fashion. The writers have even tossed in puppies for cuteness; he is a dog show judge and she a dog handler.
There are some fine performances involved in this mediocre film. Frances Fisher as Mr. Darcy's aunt is an unadorned, snobbish piece of works -- without, alas, any of the humor typically brought to the role.
In the end, my issue with this Hallmark TV romantic comedy is the same as with a lot of them. They may be romantic in the sense that the beautiful and virtuous young woman winds up with the handsome and virtuous young man; it's the lack of anything comic that bores me. If the standard Hallmark romcon model is what you're looking for, you'll be satisfied. As for me, like Miss Austen, I'll continue to hope for more than characters who fit neatly into their plotted slots.
