Pride and Prejudice (2005)
Director – Joe Wright
Cast
Keira Knightley (Elizabeth Bennet)
Matthew MacFayden (William Darcy)
Judi Dench (Lady Catherine de Bourg)
Simon Woods (Mr. Bingley)
Donald Sutherland (Mr.Bennet)
Before I start reviewing Pride and Prejudice directed by Joe Wright, I must confess that I had already watched another version of the same, starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. This, perhaps is the most important reason why I couldn’t stand the latest version (since I had something much better in mind to compare it with). Call it a benchmark, if you will!
Despite seeming unfair and biased, I would further like to add that Jane Austen’s characters have not been captured correctly on screen and it was with a heavy heart that I got up from my seat as the movie ended.
I am not going to begin with the plot of the movie because it is a rendition of the famous Jane Austen’s book. The book, needless to say, is a work of beauty. What is most striking about Jane Austen is her subtle style. This, however, is lacking in the movie all through. The film is loud and the screenplay is anything, but subtle. To start with, the performances were not up to the mark, except Keira Knightley’s portrayal of Elizabeth Bennet. Knightley manages to portray Lizzie quite effectively. On the other hand, Darcy played by Matthew MacFayden seems like a dull moron and even in the end he fails to evoke any sentiment of love. Just a little credit is due to him for those soulful eyes that the camera often tried to capture in a shot – seems like it was an attempt to save the character. Colin Firth could not be unparalleled by this new Darcy (MacFayden). The most astonishing characterization was that of Mr. Bingley with orange colored hair and a ridiculous expression. He made a poor joke, especially since he wasn’t meant to be one. Nevertheless, his scenes ended with an undue fit of laughter on the part of the audiences.
Most of the original work was lost in this quick movie because it hardly managed to depict romance as it were. Darcy seemed too ready to fall in love, Lizzie seemed too eager to repent; and in the bargain they both ended up looking confused and far from the original characters. The background score was good but the direction was nothing worth mentioning. Thirty minutes into the movie - and you want to shriek at the plight of the true characters of Austen. Whatever happened to them!