Austenland ~ 2013

Austenland
2013
PG-13
97 minutes
Starring Keri Russell, JJ Feild, Jennifer Coolidge, Bret McKenzie, Jane Seymour
Directed by Jerusha Hess

“Obsessed with Pride and Prejudice (1995), a woman travels to a Jane Austen theme park in search for her perfect gentleman.” [IMDb] 

Yes, yes…I know. This doesn’t qualify by the established parameters as a “period piece.” However, please allow me to veer off course, if just a tad. I admit it. I’m a Jane Austen addict. While watching this movie about an overly obsessed Austen fan, I kept myself in check by comparing myself to Keri Russell’s character, Jane Hayes. I haven’t yet purchased a life-size standee of Colin Firth in his Fitzwilliam Darcy regalia, so things are not quite as bad as they seem...yet. Austenland explores what happens when you enter the world you’ve fantasized about – will it live up to your expectations or fall miserably flat?

Jane Hayes blows a wad of cash to travel to Austenland, a theme park where ladies can experience Regency-era life by cohabitating with actors playing the part. (Like all you self-ascribed Janeites wouldn’t do the same if given half the chance…) What’s real? What’s fabricated? Jane isn’t sure…and while she believed she was wholly prepared to live in that world, she realizes she’s more modern than she thought.

The trick to enjoying this film is that you have to suspend reality…and Austen purists must be able to take a good ribbing. It pokes a lot of fun at the fervor with which women everywhere took to the 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride & Prejudice. But, considering Austen had a flair for comedy, I think she’d approve of this very silly romp. Jennifer Coolidge (Miss Elizabeth Charming) is the epitome of ridiculousness, at which she always excels. (Perhaps she’s an exaggerated nod to the hysterical qualities of Mrs. Bennet and Miss Bates.)

Now, let’s take a moment to talk about the men of Austenland, then, shall we? Seriously, I am smitten beyond words with Mr. Henry Nobley (played by JJ Feild, who Austen fans will recall played Mr. Tilney in the 2007 BBC adaptation of Northanger Abbey). He was perfection as the brooding Darcy-esque character. And, without revealing too much, viewers will love where he ends up in the plot. Jane Hayes is drawn to the cheeky Martin, played by Bret McKenzie (who is one half of the Kiwi comedic duo Flight of the Conchords). Theirs is a will-they-or-won’t-they bait and switch, which is rather fun to watch.

Admittedly, I kind of wish there was a real Austenland. I might seriously consider dipping into my savings to trip the light fantastic with Mr. Knightly or Captain Wentworth…or, oh, why stop there when I’m such a sucker for a cravat?