Jane Austen is either the most overrated or the most underrated writer in English history, depending on whom you ask. Jane Austen Wrecked My Life correctly pointed out that -compared to William Shakespeare or Charles Dickens– Jane Austen’s scope was severely limited. Jane Austen Wrecked My Life also correctly pointed out that given the role of women in England in the late 18th century, Austen’s work was groundbreaking and a completely new take on how women were portrayed in literature.
And both of these things are pointed out exactly when our proverbial Elizabeth meets her proverbial Mr. Darcy in Act I.
But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Agathe Robinson (Camille Rutherford) owns a Shakespeare-themed bookstore in Paris. Not that there’s anything wrong with it, but one day, Agathe will be a cat lady spinster. For now, she’s in her 30s and direction-less. She kinda wants to be a writer; she kinda wants to be involved, but she doesn’t seem to be going in either direction at the moment. She even knows as much; she compares all her acquaintances to Jane Austen characters and calls herself “Anne Elliot,” the old maid from Persuasion.
One evening while dining out alone, she sees a naked woman on her sake cup. She asks for the naked man sake cup. She starts fantasizing about the naked man and, hence, fiction is born. Within 60 seconds of screen time (just like real life), she wins two weeks at the Jane Austen Residency, an estate that houses aspiring writers, while hoping to inspire them.
Second prize is four weeks.
Obviously, I’m biased, but 1) I write and 2) I both like and respect the writing of Jane Austen. And yet, I think two weeks at the Jane Austen Residency stuck with the kind of folks who aspire to be at the Jane Austen Residency sounds like torture. (What’s wrong with two weeks on a sunny beach? I swear, I’ll be just as inspired.)
OK.OK. Obviously, this is not my dream. But I’ll respect that this might be the dream for someone who is not me. Agathe is dropped off by her roommate and 
best friend Félix (Pablo Pauly), who confuses her entire life by kissing her hard before sending her away. Agathe is picked up by Oliver (Charlie Anson, the poor man’s Dan Stevens), a long distant relative of Jane Austen who doesn’t think much of his great great great great great great great aunt’s writing. And this is where the meet cute parallels the same in Pride and Prejudice.
Yeah, like we don’t know what’s gonna happen.
This plot and characters are paper thin, which makes sense as they’ll all writers. For all the high-brow English writing commentary, the key plot point in the film still hinges upon a mistaken assumption and a failure of clarity. The film is sweet, but flimsy and forgettable. I didn’t care about Agathe, Oliver, or Félix … or at least not enough to want to prefer this to a genuine Jane Austen adaptation.
There was once an apostle of Jane
For patriarchy, she had not but disdain
Yet her Darcy appeared
Her countenance cheered
But only following a scowling campaign
Rated R, 98 Minutes
Director: Laura Piani
Writer: Laura Piani
Genre: Do we have to read this, too?
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Supporters of Jane Austen, maybe?
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Detractors of Jane Austen, maybe?
