Coup de foudre à Austenland

I loved this film from the very start. It has an amazing sarcastic tone and is chalk full of Austen references. The over-dramatic nature of the setting and dialogue makes for a satirical manner which is very similar to Austen's original novels. The characters are all well developed and presented in a relatable way which makes it even more interesting. Miss Charming, for example, is absolutely ridiculous in her performance and each line just adds to her character. Jane Hayes, played by Keri Russell, is a really great lead in this film and gives an honest performance which helps the viewer sympathize with her. This film is based on a novel and there are several discrepancies between the novel and film, but if you love the book as much as I do, you will adore the film for it's own quirky style. For fun- look for the hidden peacock. He's hidden in a ton of scenes just off to the side.

Jane Hayes (Keri Russell) has been most unfortunate in love. Her boyfriends up to this moment have left her cold to romance. Perhaps, it might be observed, Jane is rather selective in her search, for she is looking for the second coming of Mr. Darcy. A fan of Austen since she was thirteen, her small apartment is decorated in the Empire fashion, with a large cutout of Colin Firth in his role as Darcy. So, when a former flame comes to her place of work, telling her that he is her last, best hope, Jane hatches a desperate plan. She will sell her car and use all of her savings to buy a trip to Austenland, a dream adventure place in jolly old England. When she arrives, flush with excitement, she gets a small dash of grief. The snobby manager (Jane Seymour) chides Jane for buying the basic package, gives the American a plainer room than the other guests, and gives her the moniker Miss Erstwhile, which Jane instantly dislikes. Nevertheless, the place is lovely and the actors quite intriguing, especially one, Mr. Nobly (J.J. Field) who has the Darcy role. Alas, he brushes her off, true to the book. Thank goodness fellow guest Miss Charming (Jennifer Coolidge) becomes her bosom friend and provides great comic relief. Yet, when Jane receives criticism at dinner, she bolts out to the grounds where she meets someone who turns her head. This is Martin (Bret McKenzie), hired to take care of the horses and play a servant. Though there is really no mingling between guests and servants, Martin soon becomes Jane's special savior time and time again. Could he be the romance she has waited for all of her life? But, wait, could Mr. Nobly actually be paying more attention to our Jane? Things are becoming muddled! This lovely movie will be a joy to Austen's fans and beyond. How many superhero films have to be released, however, to merit a ladies' flick like this? Quite a few, Hollywood seems to be saying. Therefore, it is this viewer's hope that all women will rush to the closest theater to embrace Austenland in a big way. It has sumptuous costumes, a clever script, a wonderful setting, a skilled direction and enough references to the great lady herself to please most everyone.

Nothing high art or dramatic to be seen here .... which is a good thing!

This flick is a simple romantic comedy set in a Jane Austen theme park with paid actors to play roles from Austen novels. Our main character, Jane Hayes, blows her bank account to fulfill her love of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice novel by staying at the theme park hoping to find her love. That's the story all wrapped with some funny light hearted characters and situations.

But pay attention! You just might be fooled! The ending opens a new light for her and the viewer. I enjoyed the movie greatly because it's simple and fun!

Disclosure: I really like "Pride & Prejudice" & usually end up enjoying romantic comedies a ton, despite never wanting to see them ahead of time.

That said, I went in to this one thinking it sounded good and was laughing hard throughout. The story is clever, the acting solid, casting is great and I walked out a huge fan of Jennifer Coolige. omg seriously, can you get any funnier? Worth seeing the movie for her alone. Without her it was still really good. Go see this movie. We even went back and saw it again - I wasn't laughing as much the second time, but appreciated it and enjoyed it again still.

Who would vacation in the Bahamas when you could live the 1800 life of Pride and Predigest characters? Apparently this Jane Austen fan will spend all her money living the experience straight from Austen's most classic books. From Jerusha Hess, the co- writer of Napoleon Dynamite (or should I say the wife of the director), the film begins with Jane (Keri Russell), a Jane Austen book lover, watching classic romance movies and planning her week-long trip adventure somewhere in the United Kingdom to live the Jane Austen life with handsome gentlemen, romance, and engagements. The only problem is when your fantasies become reality, Jane finds love is not always the same way in the books. This movie seems to aim for the book lovers and those of us who are sick of women who dream of finding their Mr Darcy. The film moves fast and the audience does not get to know Russel's character, except for the fact that she loves Jane Austen books. Still, Hess does an excellent job creating a fun and adventurous comedy for us, not to mention the performance of Jennifer Coolidge is fantastic.