Johnson Thomas

The Jane Austen Book Club

Direction: Robin Swicord
Cast: Maria Bello, Hugh Dancy, Kathy Baker, Emily Blunt, Amy Brenneman, Maggie Grace, Jimmy Smits, Marc Blucas, Kevin Zegers,Nancy Travis
Rating:** ½

The Jane Austen Book Club is a pleasantly engaging adaptation of Karen Joy Fowlers’ book of the same name. Fowler’s book makes subtle references to Austen’s characters but the film somehow manages to avoid getting into that spirit, preferring to create modern characters with motivations and attitudes that seem typically Austen but are not really so.

Six contemporary Californian bibliophiles get together and form a Jane Austen Book club. Sylvia (Amy Brenneman), Jocelyn (Maria Bello), Allegra (Maggie Grace), Bernadette (Kathy Baker), Prudie (Emily Blunt) and Grigg (Hugh Dancy) all battling loss and disenchantment in some form, bond over six episodes of discussion covering Jane Austen’s ‘Emma, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Persuasion.’

The film has far too many storylines for any one to grab your attention. Director Swicord tries her best to add on as much of Austen as possible but is unable to pack it all in with credible force.

The plot is driven by a few contrivances and the characters too seem like they have forgotten that they exist in the modern world. Swicord’s treatment is not as assured as it should be. Everything appears superficial and stage managed, save for the ensemble cast that make a neat enactment of it all.