Customer Reviews
Sweet glimpse into the life of Jane (as portrayed by Anne Hathaway) 
2008-06-15
I am an avid Jane Austen fan. I love the books, I adore the recent film versions of said books, so... I had to own this DVD. It gave me such delight to see Anne Hathaway portraying the lady authoress I have come to admire so much.
The story line "reads" just like one of her books, and I chuckled every time one of the supporting cast members' actions "inspired" Jane to write her best loved book, "Pride and Prejudice," among others.
Delightful and endearing, Jane herself would have been flattered by Miss Hathaway's performance.
//Mrs. Dengler//
When will this ever end? 
2008-06-14
The good points?????: Nice cinematography and attractive actors.
None the less....The worst movie of 2007!!! (ok the worst movie I have seen from 2007). Why?: the script and the direction (I blame the Director more so) : "ok, lets try this next.." Unbelievably bad, hackneyed....disconnected, un dramatic, not even close to a spin off of Tom Jones or on the other side of the coin, something intended to be serious....( they could never really figure out the tone to set) And really, the lack of any plausible ending, scenes that just go on....I was wondering if the pigs in the barn ( a scene twice included) would transform themselves into little publishing agents and miraculously annoit Jane with her publishing fortune and end this fiasco so she and her ner-do-well could get married with society's blessings.......and really there is little to nothing here that gives any notion of Ms. Austen as a writer or artist....Let me not forget to mention the hair styles and coloring...all the same...and all bad....This is Dr. Zhivago Meets Frankenstein....
An Exceptional James McAvoy! 
2008-06-11
The last memorable James McAvoy performance I recall is from The Last King Of Scotland, where he admirably held his own with Oscar winner Forest Whitaker, and turned in a poignant, accomplished delivery.
While I wasn't really impressed with Atonement despite all its accolades, I am completely blown away by Becoming Jane, solely because McAvoy is absolutely amazing in this film.
Watching it for the first time may not yield any treasures -- for me, it took a 2nd viewing to help me appreciate the movie a lot more -- but I strongly advise you to be patient, and to pay attention to any scene that McAvoy appears in.
There're many to choose from, but 3 in particular stand out.
At the 55th minute, his character, Tom LeFroy, surprises Jane Austen ( the luminous Anne Hathaway ) at a ball, flashing her a warm yet mischievous smile. The pivotal moment lasts only a couple of seconds, but it's extremely electrifying. ( Makes me wonder whether Hathaway's shy and flustered response was real rather than just acting. )
In the last quarter, as LeFroy and Austen sit in a tavern discussing their options for the future, with a disastrous outcome, McAvoy beautifully conveys his character's torment and anguish with masterful aplomb.
My favourite bit, however, occurs early in the film -- at the 35th minute, where Austen encounters LeFroy in a library and they engage in some witty repartee. The scene lasts only 3 minutes, but is perfect in its execution. The chemistry between the actors is breath-taking, and McAvoy is rakishly gorgeous. The way he locks Hathaway with his intense, blue-eyed stare is guaranteed to make any woman squirm ( though in a good way :)).
I'm a huge fan of the recent Pride & Prejudice remake, but found myself loving this so much more, solely because of McAvoy's astounding performance. His acting chops and charisma more than make up for his diminutive stature.
Little wonder then, that this has made him one of my all-time favourite actors, and perhaps my top favourite young actor, period.
With the recent rise of similar youthful British thespians in high-profile movies ( Keira Knightley is another star to watch ), I look forward to many more updated versions of literature classics, preferably starring McAvoy as often as possible. :)
Apologies for rambling on and on about James. But he really is the best reason to watch this movie, and definitely the only reason one should even consider buying the DVD.
Becoming Jane 2008-06-09
Great acting and scenery. The movie furnished a lovely explanation of the times, place and expectations of a woman's behavior during that era.
One reads or views movies thinking it a romatic time, but when the present everyday world returns, the independence of today's woman is much more appealing.
Jayne
As much about Jane, as her work! 2008-06-02
I really enjoyed Becoming Jane. I thought the casting was great (even though Jane is played by an American), the scenes were authentic (filmed in Ireland), and the directing was superb. The love story between Jane and Tom may have been created simply to give this movie a storyline, but it works well and seems authentic to the spirit of Austen. This move is about Jane as much it is about her work; the story that unfolds on our screen is done in a way to tug at the heart strings of those who have read all of Austen's work. This movie seems like a mixture of some of Austen's best loved novels, with the underlying one being "Pride and Prejudice." It's a great love story that left me wondering: would I sacrifice my happiness to do the right thing? Could I give up true love for the happiness of others? This is a great movie!
Too forced into a box 
2008-07-02
The story moves along, in Jane Austin style, with a tendency to follow parts of other Jane Austin stories (most notably, parts of Sense & Sensibility, parts of Pride & Prejudice) which is a nice mirror to how she created the stories. However, as the second half moves along, the story is led down the predictable hollywood-style ending. While not offensive, and with a good cast, this enjoyable movie is not particularly memorable. An enjoyable, if forgettable, experience.
(3.5) Suprisingly Warm and Artfully Done 2008-06-26
I can't vouch for the historical accuracy of the film, but in terms of capturing the spirit of Jane Austen, at least with regards to the fiction, this movie does a remarkable job. In many ways, the movie runs parallel with "Pride and Prejudice" and it really is a lot of fun to see some conjecture (I believe, although this may be perfectly based on fact) as to how many things entered her novel. The movie reminds me of Shakespeare in Love in that meta-textual sort of way. For fans of Austen or of a good period piece, this movie will entertain.
Good movie 2008-06-23
This was a gift for my wife and she loved it. She's watched it several times now.
Amazing! 2008-06-20
This movie is now one of my favorites. I have to admit that I am big fan of Jane Austen's books and that I saw a lot of things in the movie that were true. There were so many things in the movie and that was in her real life that she had used in her books. Examples include Mr. LeFroy was the true Mr. Darcy, her sister, Cassandra, she used as the basis of Jane, Elizabeth's sister in Pride and Prejudice and even the proposal of Mr. Warren at the end of the movie mirrors the proposal of Mr.Elton in Emma.
This movie was fantastic, it may have been a bit extravagent to the truth, but still there was plenty of truth in it. Along with a great cast, Becoming Jane had a beautiful composition of music that went perfectly in the movie.
James McAvoy ... the coolest geek on the planet! 2008-06-20
Not really been a big Anne Hathaway fan ... loved her in Brokeback Mountain, enjoyed her in The Devil Wears Prada, but never paid too much attention until I sat up and took notice with this remarkable performance as a young Jane Austen. Although Hathaway is an intelligent beauty, it is James McAvoy as Thomas LeFroy who stole this show! McAvoy is killer as the lusty London gadfly young man-about-town bouncing between boxing matches, whores and the High Court. Banished to the nether-world outerlimits of the deep English Countryside by his Court Judge Uncle-Patron-Mentor for his wild incorrigable ways, he arrives at the home of his "lesser relations" to serve out his penance ... and he arrives arrogant and bored.
But deep in the sleepy hamlet of Hampshire England, Thomas LeFroy meets a radical shocking beauty who is evey bit his emotional, intellectual and physical equal ... who single handedly is rewriting human relationships between men and woman in the Western World, and revolutionizes Western Literature in her process. In the schema of history it is Thomas LeFroy who is the bit player, although in the 1800s in England he earns the higher status when promoted to Chief Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench in Ireland in 1852. Yet it is the the spurned spinster Jane Austen who earns her place in world history as one of the greatest writers of English Letters, leaving Thomas LeFroy far behind her relegated to musty literature footnotes in the modern era.
In this particular movie however, it is James McAvoy as the abandoning and disappointing inspirational muse which fuels Austen's genius that moves this film from mere chick flick to a higher plane. McAvoy is utterly brilliant as the Scottish physician in the Last King of Scotland; garnered international attention in Atonement and undoubtedly will win yet more accolades in the recently released Wanted with Angelina Jolie ... he is a super geek. But oddly enough he really hits his stride with his subtle, layered under-rated performance in an English period piece.
It will be a pleasure to watch this man evolve.
