The Jane Austen Book Club [Blu-ray] | ![The Jane Austen Book Club [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51aD0AgcUTL._SL500_.jpg)
| Actors: Bello, Blunt, Brenneman
Studio: Sony Pictures
Category: DVD
List Price: $38.96
Buy Used: $9.47
You Save: $29.49 (76%)
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Rating:  86 reviews
Sales Rank: 52656
Format: Ac-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), Portuguese (Original Language), Spanish (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Portuguese (Subtitled), Korean (Subtitled), Thai (Subtitled), French (Dubbed), Portuguese (Dubbed), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: Blu-ray
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
Number Of Discs: 1
Running Time: 105 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 6.7 x 5.3 x 0.4
MPN: COLBR24449
UPC: 043396244498
EAN: 0043396244498
ASIN: B000ZS8GUS
Release Date: February 5, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Bluray Disc
Amazon.com
Lest there be any doubts about the ongoing relevance of the novels of Jane Austen, the charming Jane Austen Book Club will lay them to rest--with wit, sharp insight, and a wicked chuckle or three. Directed by the talented Robin Swicord, who adapted the book by Karen Joy Fowler (and also wrote the crackling screenplay for the 1994 version of Little Women), the film is a modern-day comedy of manners, with deeply felt emotions, repressed feelings, unquenched desire and embarrassing relatives--all staples of Austen works. The film centers on a group of six friends in Sacramento, Calif., who gather to distract themselves from loss (a newly dumped Sylvia, played with grace and quiet pain by Amy Brenneman), repressed disappointment (the prissy teacher Prudie, played by Emily Blunt), or a life of unrealized dreams (Jocelyn, played by Maria Bello, whose acting skills have gained great nuance, both in comedy and drama). All are devoted Austen fans, except the lone man, Grigg (Hugh Dancy, adorable and available, ladies), who has an ulterior motive for joining the chick-lit gang. As the months unfold, we learn about the relationships of all the members, and watch as elements of Austen's novels and characters pop up with enchanting regularity. There's plenty of pride (Prudie), prejudice (Jocelyn), sense (Sylvia), and sensibility (Sylvia's daughter Allegra, headstrong and reckless in life and love, played by Maggie Grace)--and a fair amount of persuasion (Grigg and Sylvia's caddish ex, Daniel, a smooth Jimmy Smits). As the minuet of relationships and alliances unfolds over the months, the emotions are real and the leavening humor spot-on. About the only thing that doesn't ring true is seeing all these Sacramento women bundled up in shawls, blankets, thick sweaters and extra layers--even in July(!). Still, the film will engage even reluctant Austen readers (if there is such a thing). As Kathy Baker's Bernadette says gaily, "Jane Austen is the perfect antidote to life!" Elizabeth Bennett couldn't have put it better. --A.T. Hurley Stills from The Jane Austen Book Club (click for larger image)
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| Customer Reviews: Read 81 more reviews...
 Not my style June 28, 2009
Crystal Neff
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I do love everything Austin, but this movie was, to me confusing and most of the charactors lacked appeal.
 Watch this movie, read a little Austen, and enjoy! June 27, 2009
Patricia A. Powell (gladstone, nj USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have watched this movie several times, and I love it. It's not a great movie or an important movie, just a movie that I can watch over and over again and still love.
The characters form a book club to try to help a friend through a separation/divorce. To make it easy, they decide to read only books that they have already read. Obviously, it has to be the Jane Austen club.
As they read the books the characters respond to the emotional entanglements of their own lives. Jocelyn (single)breeds dogs for a living. One character in frustration tells her that she has set up her life to always be in control... she breeds dogs because she likes to be obeyed. Silvia (married then divorced)relates mostly to Mansfield Park because the heroine never wavers in her steadfast loyalty while her relations and male love interest walk all over her. Allegra (Silvia's lesbian daughter) is betrayed by her writer lover, but not in the physical sense. Allegra's personal stories are taken and secretly rewritten for her partner's own purposes. Bernadette (a serial divorcee with 7 notches on her belt) is just fun. Prudence (married incompatibly)... her husband cancels a planned business trip to Paris; he fails to understand her disappointment. As a French teacher who has never been to Paris, she takes it hard... but it just emphasizes their differences. Grigg (single male) joins the book club in the hopes of getting closer to Jocelyn.
As they read through the 6 Austen masterpieces the women reconsider the paths of their own lives. I love that they saved Persuasion for the last book, as it is about forgiveness, and persuading oneself to try again... as many of the characters do.
This movie is just pure enjoyment. I highly recommend it.
Jane Says... May 27, 2009
Steven Cain (Temporal Quantum Pocket)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is a truly delightful film, with a cast that just takes synergy to another level.
Being an Austen fan, it is a pleasure to watch such a beautifully crafted tribute, which itself is based on a superb novel.
The film takes us through all six of her novels (Persuasion and the Gothic parody Northanger Abbey were initially published as a set, after her untimely death) in a Life imitating Art/Art imitating Life series of character/relationship parallels.
That such a fine movie would be made at this time is a tribute to the longevity of a writer who had chosen to publish anonymously in her lifetime, and whose work only slowly began to be appreciated during the nineteenth century, before it exploded in popularity in the twentieth.
While her critics included the mighty Charlotte Bronte, there is no doubt that, as the film suggests, Pride and Prejudice is a classic piece of romantic fiction, which stands in its own right.
The Special Features are wonderful, and take you behind the scenes, even to the level of deconstructing the Book Club, the casting choices, the hybridization of 'Emma' in present time, cast interviews, you name it.
Superb value.
Delightful story May 26, 2009
Lynda. Fitzgerald (Atlanta, GA)
The Jane Austen Book Club DVD is a delightful, feel good story, but only if you're familiar with Jane Austen's writing. Otherwise, you'd not understand half of what it was about. Fortunately, I know most of Austen's books almost by heart, so it was right up my alley. In fact, I'm thinking of starting a classics book club which will, of course, include the writings of Jane Austen.
The ending is a bit contrived with everyone living happily ever after, but Austen certainly would have approved of that.
Funny and cute May 14, 2009
Reader (Chicago, IL USA)
If you ever wanted to get a quick snapshot of most annoying things that happens in everyone's life, watch the start of the movie. It is so funny I could not stop giggling. But then the movie itself is just wonderful. It is smart and funny, it is all too human. There are so many characters but none feels neglected throughout the entire movie. Whoever wrote this screenplay was a smart person because no matter how long ago Jane Austen lived, her books are still affecting our moidern lives.
The usual happy ending is a dead give away that this is a chick flick. But with all the laughter, it is actualy the kind of movie I recommed to anyone seeking to relax.
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