AUSTENLAND (Jerusha Hess). 96 minutes. Opens Friday (September 20). For venues and times, see listings. Rating: N
Austenland gives Jane Austen, Keri Russell and love a bad name.
The only person Jane Hayes (Russell) has ever loved is Mr. Darcy, Austen’s fictional heartthrob. Unlucky in the romance department, she empties her bank account and heads to the UK to visit Austenland, “the world’s only immersive Austen experience.” Soon she’s in a corset meeting colourful guests, and eventually finds herself in the middle of a Regency-style love triangle.
The premise is promising, taking Austen adaptation to the next level as meta-costume drama, but the idea’s gracelessly executed. It’s not for lack of trying on the part of the cast. Russell is charming, though her character never develops. Jennifer Coolidge gamely does her lusty-and-busty-older-woman bit, but here it feels as though we’re meant to laugh at her, not with her. Even Jane Seymour, as the owner of the literary-themed getaway, can’t bring any, um, sense or sensibility to the movie.
The problem lies with writer/director Jerusha Hess’s script (co-written with and based on Shannon Hale’s novel). Known for co-penning Napoleon Dynamite, Hess aims for the same kind of offbeat humour but constantly misses the mark.
It’s not a question of pride or prejudice, it’s just bad.
