By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Cary Fukunaga
Starring: Jamie Bell | Judi Dench | Mia Wasikowska | Michael Fassbender | Sally Hawkins | Tamzin Merchant
Country: united_kingdom, united_states
Year: 2011
Running time: 120
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1229822/
Thom says: “This had all the ingredients to be a perfect ‘classic’ film and it very nearly succeeded but for a nagging problem that wouldn’t go away for me. Director Fukunaga had brought us the impressive SIN NOMBRE and he directs with a sure hand here. Everyone is familiar with the story although, truthfully, I’d forgotten certain details. Jane Eyre after a rotten childhood in Victorian England accepts a job as governess of a ward of a mysterious, moody man in a remote country estate. As the mousy but forthright Jane Wasikowska is perfect. (After such assignments as ALICE IN WONDERLAND, THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT, & In Treatment this young actress is on a real roll). Fassbender is also perfectly cast as Rochester. The story drifts along at an exquisite pace and we’re supposed to thrill at the growing romance between Jane and her temperamental employer and if I didn’t have anything else to go on I would have accepted the situation. But, I’ve seen two versions of WIDE SARGASSO SEA, & the conceit of Rochester in that story presents him as anything but a romantic figure. Certainly, the character in that story is only someone’s imagination but I couldn’t get it out of my mind while watching this. 4 cats”