Jane Eyre [HD]

A Mixed Reaction
That's what I have after watching this dvd twice: a decidedly mixed reaction. Like many other reviewers, I'm a die-hard Jane Eyre fan, having read the book too many times to count and seen at least 6 film adaptations (I think there have been at least 8). This dvd is the 5th I've added to my collection, which my children find absolutely hilarious. But anyway, I wanted to see this one at the theater but it was only in my hometown for about a week, so I ordered it as soon as Amazon had it. I guess I should just lay out my pros and cons and let the chips fall where they may.

Pros: The casting is possibly the best of any version I've seen. Mia Whatchamacallit (sorry, can't remember her name right now) was 21 when the film was shot, making her about the right age to play Jane. All the other versions I've seen cast actresses who were well past their teen years, so it was good to see a more-age-approriate Jane. She also did a nice job with the role, expressing shades of emotion in...

perfect
It was so good, I went to see it twice in one day. Mia Wasikowska, who played Jane Eyre, and Michael Fassbender, Mr. Rochester, were perfect. I believed their love and suffering. I used to think that no one can do better Rochester than Timothy Dalton, but after seeing this adaptation, Fassbender took that spot. In other adaptations Mr. Rochester overshadowed Jane, but in this film Jane and Rochester are equal. I loved that dialogue follows the book pretty closely and it was not too modernized. Judi Dench was great as Mrs. Fairfax, and Jamie Bell was believable as cold St.John Rivers. Of course the scenery and costumes were gorgeous. For a 2 hr film director Cary Fukunaga did wonders. Highly recommended! Now I can't wait for the DVD to come out (hopefully with special features and deleted scenes).
p.s. I forgot to mention that the music score is lovely and fits the mood perfectly.

Very Interesting Version of "Jane Eyre" - Mia Wasikowska is splendid
Even though many have seen at least one or two film adaptations of Bronte's blockbuster gothic romance novel...there is still plenty of good reason to see this version. I think that Mia Wasikowska's acting is pitch-perfect - maybe even the definitive characterization of this fascinating woman. She knows that she has been unlucky, but is intelligently waiting, watching, and analyzing everyone before she makes her next move.

The time and place - England's North country mid -nineteenth century. Jane is unloved by her aunt, and after a fight with her cousin is shipped off - rather brutally - to a boarding school run by a self-important and cruel headmaster. She develops one friendship there - a girl called Helen - but loses Helen to an illness.

The beginning of the altercation between Jane and her male cousin is nerve shattering as he bashes her head into a wall, and she (deservedly) hits him back. Of course - the aunt sees and hears only wants she wants to...

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