Austenland

                 I don’t know anyone who has seen A&E’s Pride and Prejudice and not fallen in love with Colin Firth’s Mr. Darcy.  Even though there have been actors who portrayed Mr. Darcy before and after Mr. Firth, his is the only one ever mentioned.  Colin Firth is Mr. Darcy, end of story.

                Jane (Keri Russell) in the movie Austenland is not any different from the rest of us; she just takes it farther than most.  Obsessed with Mr. Darcy, and Jane Austen in general, Jane has an entire room dedicated to her fascination.  In the room there is a stand-up cardboard cutout of Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy.  Unfortunately the cutout is not in good condition as one of Jane’s former boyfriends got upset at Jane’s obsession and punched the cutout in the face.  But Jane still has it, along with the Mr. Darcy talking doll and the big decorative letters that spell out Darcy.  These are just a few of the things that are in the room.  I don’t know what else is all in there, but Jane’s friend does and she doesn’t believe having an entire room dedicated to Mr. Darcy and Jane Austen is healthy.

                Despite her friend’s concerns, Jane continues with her devotion.  When a creepy guy at work won’t leave her alone, Jane decides to use all her money for a trip to England and go to a place called Austenland.  At Austenland Jane will be completely immersed in the Jane Austen world.  Everything, including dress and activities, will be from that time.  Modern technology is not allowed.  If any is found, including a cell phone, the culprit will be kicked out and sent home.

                Jane is really excited for her adventure, she even travels to England in costume, but it starts to unravel pretty much on arrival.  Due to not having many funds, Jane picked an experience package which is less than the other guests.  As a result, her clothes and accommodations are of a lower quality, there are events she cannot participate in, and she is not allowed to ride inside the carriage as it takes everyone to the main house.  When Jane gets her fictional story, she finds out she doesn’t get a title but is instead an orphan who the others have taken on as a charity case.  This sets her apart immediately and puts Jane in some awkward situations.

                Bored and uncomfortable with her surroundings, Jane frequently finds herself separated from the rest of the group.  During her walks around the grounds, she becomes friends with Martin (Bret McKenzie), a stable hand who also acts as the chauffeur.  The friendliness quickly turns to romance, but it must remain secret as the guests and servants are not supposed to mix.

                As Jane pursues a relationship with Martin, the Darcy-like Mr. Henry Nobley (JJ Field) is falling for her.  Since Mr. Nobley is quiet and does not express his feelings to Jane, she does not realize what is going on.  It isn’t until the ball that Mr. Nobley lets Jane know how he feels, and by then she believes it is just acting.  Distressed that someone would play with her emotions in such a way, Jane turns to Martin, only to find out later that was a mistake.

                This movie is hilarious.  I laughed all the way through.  Jennifer Coolidge’s character, Elizabeth Charming, is especially funny.  Almost every time she spoke I ended up laughing.  Ms. Coolidge did such a great job at being the brash American trying to be the British stereotype.  I don’t know how she, or any of the actors, kept a straight face during filming.  Jane Seymour must have had an extremely tough time as she played the straight-laced owner of Austenland, Mrs. Wattlesbrook.  Between the background announcements she had to make and the actions of the others, especially Captain George East’s (Ricky Whittle) taking his shirt off at every opportunity, I don’t know how Ms. Seymour was able to perform any of her lines. 

                For anyone who loves Mr. Darcy, Austenland is a great movie to watch. Yes, it pokes fun a bit at the Austen world, but nothing is malicious. If anything it is honest about how people from now would do back then. We are so used to our technology that we would really struggle if we were placed in the same situation Jane was in. I’m not talking about just a lack of cell phone or television, but there wasn’t even convenient transportation. Everything had to be done on the grounds and there was only a limited amount of things to do. I love to read and do needlework, but if those were my only options of activities, I would go crazy too. For now I think I will stick with the movies when I want an Austen fix. For me that means Mr. Darcy each and every time.