Jane Eyre.  I was actually supposed to write about something else entirely and had half of the thing drafted when I finished watching the 2011 BBC version of Jane Eyre.  I find that I cannot, not in good conscience anyway, not write about such a beautiful film.  (Disclaimer: this isn’t a full review, more like a messy accolade.)

Written by Charlotte Bronte nearly two hundred years ago, the plot basically being the title character falling in love with the rich older mysterious gentleman she lives with.  Oh yes, it has all the elements of an English romantic classic- the “poor & obscure” girl, the gossipy older woman who hands out unsolicited (and mostly unfounded) news tidbits, the rich and handsome man, and of course, the whole “I thought you were already engaged/No I’m not” sub plot.

Cary Fukunaga, a name that I’m ashamed to admit I only heard of for the first time today, directed the film.  This film definitely made me a staunch fan of his and I’ll definitely be on the look out for anything that he churns out because I’m pretty sure that he can make any setting look like paradise.  I find it unbelievable how crisp he made this film look; the outdoor shots brought out the colors of the woods magnificently, juxtaposing with the gothic nature of Thornfield hall.  I was also surprised at how I came to like the quietness of the film; I don’t think there was a lot of musical accompaniment in the film, something that makes it vastly different from 2005 Pride & Prejudice.  But it still had the same feel to it, even though the conversations were only punctuated by the crackling of the fire.

Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland) played the title character and Michael Fassbender (Magneto from X-Men First Class) played Mr. Rochester.  I cannot begin to rant and rave about these two, mostly because I’m about to run out of space, but in so few words, they were absolutely phenomenal.  Their chemistry alone lit up the entire screen whenever they were talking to each other.  This is one of those rare chemistries that doesn’t require actors to speak loudly or to grasp at each other desperately- theirs is all about subtle touches, whispers and glances that literally spoke volumes.

I remember buying Jane Eyre when I was in junior high school, along with Jane Austen’s Emma.  I tried to read it; I really, really did but the words were just too much for my brain at the time.  I basically gave up on the book (I don’t know where my copy is actually), and swore to stick to Jane Austen and stay away from the Bronte sisters altogether.  After seeing this film though, I’m almost afraid to say that I’m a changed person.  I’m sure that the novel is much darker and there are a lot more to be unearthed from the story which is why I vow to make Jane Eyre my book of choice after finishing G.R.R. Martin’s A Clash of Kings.

–

Also, the first week of the New Year has come and gone.  Not everything worked out according to plan but the way I see it, I’m still shaking out some kinks.   Hopefully week #2 will be better 🙂