Seller:Amazon Video On Demand Rating:1045 reviews Sales Rank:3,931
Genre:Art House Media:Video On Demand Running Time:129 Minutes
Theatrical Release Date:November 23, 2005 Release Date:May 18, 2009 Availability:Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Synopsis:
Pride and Prejudice is a humorous story of love and life among English gentility during the Georgian era. Mr Bennet is an english gentleman living in Hartfordshire with his overbearing wife. The Bennets 5 daughters; the beautiful Jane, the clever Elizabeth, the bookish Mary, the immature Kitty and the wild Lydia. Unfortunately for the Bennets, if Mr Bennet dies their house will be inherited by a distant cousin whom they have never met, so the family's future happiness and security is dependant on the daughters making good marriages. Life is uneventful until the arrival in the neighbourhood of the rich gentleman Mr Bingley, who rents a large house so he can spend the summer in the country. Mr Bingley brings with him his sister and the dashing (and richer) but proud Mr Darcy. Love is soon in the air for one of the Bennet sisters, while another may have jumped to a hasty prejudgment. For the Bennet sisters many trials and tribulations stand between them and their happiness, including class, gossip and scandal.
I'm a Firth/BBC fan, and I still loved it!January 12, 2006 Toomuchtimeonmyhands(hellay, CA) 537 out of 617 found this review helpful
Okay, I am a rabid Frith and BBC fan of the miniseries, but I was very impressed with this adaption and found it refershing in it's grounded, youthful take on the story.
For starters, there is a very grounded nature to the presentation of the story. Some Austenites got their knickers into a twist because they thought it made the family and their circumstances too drab looking. But I loved it! The Meryton Assembly basically sets the stage for this grounded approach-the dancing looks a little heavy footed, the girls look sweaty, and you can't help but think that someone needs to open a window cause it looks awfully sweaty! But at the same time,it made the story come alive, like you were a fly on the wall, peeking in on Lizzy and Darcy and the rest of the gang.
Lastly, I loved the youthful take on the story. I LOVE Firth and Ehle as the '95 leads. They had this chemistry and sensual tension that was electric! But their take was definitely from a mature standpoint-like the way I'd act now as a 33 year old woman. Whereas Macfadyen and Knightley? Theirs is a more youthful, innocent, first love take that I just took to. Great chemistry, Lizzy's a little less cocksure, Darcy's a bit more unbalanced by this attraction, and it felt right in terms of age and stage of development with the actual characters in the book.
Great adaption, brisk storytelling, and a wonderfully irreverent tone by a fun director who knew it was a good idea to knock the pedestal off from under our Lizzy and Darcy, and let them be seen in a more grounded light. And ps-I thought Macfadyen, even though he doesn't have that big of a part, was a great Darcy!
A Great and Fun VersionJanuary 14, 2006 Xaphania 67 out of 75 found this review helpful
First, to all of the Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth lovers (of which, I am one), we will always have that remarkable masterpiece. Therefore, we should be able to judge any new versions freely. Having said that, this version is great!
This movie is quite shorter than what we're used to for P&P adaptations and at first it seemed to me that the dialogue was rushed, but after the first 15 minutes it either slowed down or I ceased to notice it, until Darcy's proposal scene anyway, but it worked quite well there.
This film is also much more of a comedy than the two BBC versions. There were minor changes with dialogue but none of the changes lessened any of the characters or the spirit of the story. Instead, it probably enhanced the feelings the audience shared with the characters. In fact, I think that everything left out of the two previous BBC versions were added to this one so you still get something new from the same story.
One major change is the loss of Mr. and Mrs. Hurst. In a two-hour movie there just isn't enough time to do their characters justice. The rest of the cast is so marvelous though that we barely notice they're missing and it makes the movie flow more naturally.
The actors chosen are wonderful in their parts. I didn't think I'd be able to accept Keira Knightley as Elizabeth but after the first five minutes I was completely taken in by her. She pulls off Elizabeths witty dialogue like, well... Elizabeth and just as Jennifer Ehle added some distinctive traits to Lizzie, so does Keira. She wonderfully manages to show us Lizzie's love of a good laugh without making it seem as though she was a giggling loony and every time she smiles, we smile with her.
I won't critique all the performances but I have to add that Donald Sutherland really does a spectacular job as the head of a household of silly women. The last scene with him and Lizzie had me in tears.
Not to say that this movie was perfect, what adaptation can be without some faults or silly alterations? None are too serious though. The first is at the Meryton ball, when Darcy, Bingley and Caroline walk in, everything stops. The music, the dancing, all conversation and the crowd parts to offer them a path. I thought for a second the crowd had mistaken Mr. Bingley for royalty. It just seemed a bit over the top. But it passed quickly enough. The other was actually Darcy's proposal scene which was done in the rain. I thought it silly that he would follow her outside in such weather to propose, but one can accept that in view of the other changes that turned out so well.
I give this movie 5 stars because I wouldn't want to miss it and I don't think any P&P fan should.
All in all, if you have a good sense of humor and aren't afraid to laugh, like Elizabeth, you will just enjoy the story as it is played out. Remember, afterwards you can always put Jennifer and Colin Firth back in the DVD player.
Enjoy for what it is--not Firth but wonderful!January 13, 2006 avid reader in Colorado 242 out of 290 found this review helpful
OK, I'll admit it: I've gone to the theater to see this 6 or 7 times already--I've lost count; I'm thrilled that the DVD is coming out sooner rather than later.
No, this is not the much-loved 1995 multi-hour A&E version. And no, MacFaydan is not Firth, and Knightly is not Ehle. And some liberties were taken with the original storyline (sometimes a bit disconcerting like Lady Catherine's night time visit?? and Bingley entering Jane's sickroom, even before knocking?? "simply not done" in those days!).
But I very much agree with the positive reviewers below --this version is MOST enjoyable on its own. The scenery, photography, and music are gorgeous (you must buy the CD!). Darcy and Elizabeth are still wonderfully Darcy and Elizabeth. It was a little disconcerting at first to see so much mud, livestock, and plain gowns--but you get past that fairly quickly. And it seems maybe a bit more realistic for country gentry.
BTW--if you're a P&P addict like me, don't miss Pamela Aiden's Darcy trilogy--it tells the entire story from Darcy's viewpoint and fills in a lot of what I think is missing. Also, if you have wondered what might have happened after the wedding and like a "spicier" novel, read Linda Berdoll's "Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife" (Austen meets Bronte and Sandra Brown).
Pride and Prejudice condenced....January 25, 2006 Liolania(Hippyville USA) 38 out of 45 found this review helpful
If one were to watch a condensed version of P&P, this is the one to watch. If one is a newcomer to P&P this is the one to watch. If one has watched the A&E version nine million times, and may want something fresh(despite eight other adaptations out there), this is the one to watch!
Granted, I myself, am not an austere follower of Austin, but I have read enough of the novel, and seen the A&E version enough times, to know what it is supposed to be. Call me romantic(I am), call me an idealist(I am), but no matter what way you look at it, outside of reading the book and Collin Firth's spot-on Darcy, I'd say this is the probably the best version you'll ever get.
It holds true to the spirit of the book, and although there are many omissions, and some missing characters, this keeps in all the key scenes, and stays true to the characters. Not only that but Keira Knightley's Elizabeth Bennet, has to be the best portrayal to date; as does McFayden's Darcy. This coming from an avid Colin Firth fan as well. I love Colin Firth, and he will always be dear to my heart, but Matthew McFayden knocks him right out of the water(pun intended) in my book! He is restrained, yet sexy, prideful and haughty, yet tender and kind of sensitive. He walks a very fine line, as only Firth has been able to walk before, but Mr. McFayden does it even better.
The other characters, such as Lydia(Played by the always marvelous Jena Malone) and Mrs. Bennet, were not quite as a annoying. The relationship between Mr. Bennet and Lizzie seemed much more clearly defined as well. Although I did enjoy the A&E's Mr. Collins, this one seems more appropriate to the period, and much more believable. Judi Dench is simply wonderful, and is the definitive Lady Catherine.
The characters in this version seemed much more suited to the era then in the A&E versions, the contrast between the Bennet's finfancial state and the Upper Class(Darcy & Bingley), was much more obvious, which was nice. The characters know their places, and they act like it. The dances also come off as more real and natural, not so staged as in the A&E version.
If all else fails to entice you, the Scenery is to die for! The English Moors are so beautiful their worth seeing the film for that alone! The scene were Mr. Darcy comes out of the mist to meet Elizabeth has to be one of "The most geourgeous" in cinema history.
So my hope for you is, that no matter how many times you've read the book, no matter how many film(Tv or movie) versions you've seen, you can appreciate this on its own. Yes, I did make comparison's, but merely to appease the Austin fanatics, I prefer to take things on their own, and not make a lot of comparisons. So enjoy this movie drink in the scenery, the marvelous music, and the wonderful acting.
God Bless ~Amy
Pride & Prejudice for a new generationJanuary 12, 2006 Jennifer Wattley(Macon, GA United States) 28 out of 33 found this review helpful
I have to respectfully disagree with the first reviewer.
While the comparison is inevitable, I fear the wrong conclusion has been drawn. While the 1995 version is groundbreaking, the modern update is breathtaking. The scenery, the costumes, the dialouge, the casting all work cohesively with only another.
Keira Knightly's potrayl of perhaps the most poignant fictional heroine in "romantic" literature is flawless. I like, many other people, was not impressed by Matthew MacFadyen when I saw the preview; however, he was the perfect Fitzwilliam Darcy. Dark, mysterious and brooding in a more love struck fashion than Mr. Firth plays him. (Though, let it be said, I will ALWAYS love Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy).
This film felt more like a continual thought than nthe 1995 version which, after all, is meant as a mini series. I loved every minute of it, and have seen it in the theater 3 times. As a lover of Jane Austen and the beauty of Pride & Prejudice this is a must own film.
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![Pride & Prejudice [Music from the Motion Picture]](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000BEZQ0Y.01._AA75_PU_PU-5_.jpg)
