An American in Austen

Librarian Harriet Goodson (Eliza Bennett) is struggling to write her first novel. Her boyfriend makes the big proposal and she can only respond with Maybe. Her favorite book is Pride and Prejudice. She wakes up magically inside the book as an American cousin and meets her fantasy crush Mr. Darcy (Nicholas Bishop).

Eliza Bennett is a lovely actress and she plays a good fish out of water. It is a little funny that the British actress is playing an American in this British classic. Heck, her name is Eliza Bennett. It's very meta. The Hallmark production looks rather TV movie level despite the grand locations. It could be better. The story is a fun and often-done concept. More could be used for comedy. Maybe she doesn't like the food or the makeup is bad. They do the corset and the carriage rides. Those are a little funny. This just needs to push for more humor. The Bennet sisters are really only characters in a book. They don't have the latitude to be real people. It's all up to Harriet. I want her to run around and struggling in this old timey society to get things right.

I'm more of a Jane Austen fan than a HM one, so I was interested in this series of HM films, but didn't expect much - and so far, HM did not disappoint - it was the traditional Hallmark formulaic script and C-list casting...until now. I'm American, so I feel like a bit of a traitor in saying this, but I suspect it's because this production would be more appropriately called "A Brit in Austen" - and not just bc the one "American" is actually a British actress, but bc it appears the whole thing was shot across the pond, and the Brits did do HM better, from the script to the costumes to the sets to the cast, this was elevated HM fare. Enough so that I wished it had had a slightly longer runtime, to flesh out some of the side stories more fully....so my only criticism would be that it was a bit too short and that the bookstore ending was a return to HM cliche, and felt a little bit like a letdown after having reached a higher level of film-making. If the budget works for British productions, HM should do more of these, but...give the writers/directors an extra hour of run time. Carry on with the royal cameos, though! That's hilarious and unexpected!

8.2 stars.

If you are hopelessly stricken by Austen's works, tread carefully into this story, as it may be offensive to your dogmatic senses and sensibilities.

This is the tale of a female author who is currently struggling with writer's block. She is well versed in old English literature and other similar works. There is much going on in her life, a boyfriend who wants more, a publisher who demands her best, and her personal life is cluttered with too many things. She makes a wish and we are taken back in time, into a book within a book, which eventually lands into yet a third.

Once again, Hallmark hits a home run. I find they are producing some very entertaining period pieces; almost defining for our times what a family friendly historical fiction film should be. Hollywood, take some lessons about 19th century English (family values oriented) comedy/drama from 'An American in Austen'.

I do fewer reviews these days, I've moved on after 800+. I feel for me it's better to rate a movie and get on with my day. But when I happen upon a remarkable film as this, I have to share my thoughts.

What jumps out immediately is the lead female/protagonist does not fit in with any of the characters from 'Pride and Prejudice', to whence she has been transported back in time. I feel this is a brilliantly clever rendition of a woman out of place and time. And, she very much seems 200 years out of place. Her mannerisms, colloquialisms, language, metaphors, and slang are so painfully untimely and vulgar. Yet, her character is so well versed in Victorian era knowledge due to her literature background, that she is able to navigate her way through with limited difficulty (conveniently explained by her being swept into the narrative as an American cousin of the family).

The script is amazingly clever and to augment it, the acting is equally as superb. Her character is emboldened with 21st century sarcasm and wit, refreshingly matched step by step by the intellect and savvy of the characters from the novel that she has found herself living in. She has wished to have a Mr. Darcy of her own, and her wish is granted. Of course, she is completely out of her element.

What a great theme for a wonderful story...brilliant, luminous, splendid!

I love the premise of someone from the modern world, who has read the book, finding themselves in the midst of their favourite book. I first saw the same premise in a BBC miniseries Lost in Austen, which did a superb job with it. This movie starts off similarly, but unfortunately makes too many choices for the characters in the book that are pretty out of character. I particularly did not like what they did with the two main characters (Liz and Darcy). It just didn't seem like the writers really understood these characters at all.

But if you want a better version of a similar premise, navigate to Lost in Austen. I can't recommend that enough.

All in all, if you don't already know the original books, you might enjoy this. If you do, I'd suggest watching something else.

This is the third offering in Hallmark's Jane Austen inspired 2024 February Love-uary and it might be my favorite so far. It was unexpected and a delight.

The story tells of Harriet (played by an honest to goodness Eliza Bennett!) a writer and librarian, whose wonderful boyfriend Ethan proposes to her in a very romantic way...to which she responds "maybe" because she has fantasies in her head about the fictional Mr. Darcy and how she thinks love is supposed to feel. After over imbibing, Harriet wakes up inside of the Pride and Prejudice story as the American cousin Harriet to the Bennett sisters.

This is where the story gets interesting as Harriet with her prior knowledge of the plot...ends up interfering and turning the story on its ear, only to have regret and have to right the ship all over again.

Needless to say the whole experience gives her new perspective on her real life.

This was a fun twist to Pride and Prejudice that I had never seen before and I found it thoroughly delightful. I thought the main actress Liza Bennett did a wonderful job and I appreciated Hallmark's attempt at a historical set...enough so I can overlook the very modern front and back chain drop earrings worn by a Georgian era character. It was a bit of a surprise to see an actual British royal playing the role of "The Duchess".

This is a big recommendation to both Jane Austen fans and romantics alike!