Jane Eyre enters into its fourth weekend (I)

Jane Eyre 2011 opens in new places this weekend and thus the reviews begin anew.

Positive

The Santa Cruz Sentinel:

But the film's living breathing heart is Jane herself, superbly rendered by Wasikowska who sees Jane's loveless upbringing as the source of the girl's inner strength, and as a result internalizes her determination not only to live a decent life, but to be a decent person.
"Jane Eyre" has always been popular because it portrays love not as a destiny to be embraced with dewy eyes and swelling strings, but as a course of action that often defies the comfortable path and thus takes courage and moral clarity to follow. This new film version, thanks much to its understated performance of its lead actress, holds almost perfectly to that ideal. (Wallace Baine)

The Desert Post Weekly:

Wasikowska is not only picture-perfect as our undaunted Jane, she also gets the character's emotional pathos. The first time we see her, she's crying and rushing to leave Thornfield Hall. The tears coming out of her eyes are sorrowful, but one can also see relief. Wasikowska embodies the see-saw of emotion perfectly. [...]
Brontë's beloved novel may have been told 19 times on the big screen, but this version has a contemporary immediacy that you can't help but fall in love with. (Manny the Movie Guy)

First Showing gives it a 9 out of 10:

I want to preface this review with the fact that I have never read Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre and I knew nearly nothing of the plot before attending a showing of director Cary Joji Fukunaga's latest version of Jane Eyre for the big screen. Lucky me. Going into Jane Eyre completely unaware allowed for a thrilling, organic experience; the plot unraveled before my eyes, the dialogue was fresh and sharp, and the mystery remained just that until the climactic finale. Which is why I would suggest to any and all who have never read of (or cared about) the story of Jane Eyre to let this film be their first exposure. It's worth every penny. [...]
I'm approaching this latest incarnation of Brontë's beloved novel from the unique perspective of having never read the classic literature favorite nor seen any previous versions. I am not able to comment on the degree to which Fukunaga's version is true (though I hear it's a particularly accurate rendition) but in the end, I don't think that matters. This Jane Eyre can speak for itself, presenting a dichotomous 'tale of woes' to completely fresh eyes. I was fascinated by the love affair of two intellectual equals whose desires challenge the social norms of the period, and I was enthralled by what lay hidden behind the tapestry (you'll see what I mean.) It's a difficult task to make the hearts of your audience race both in rapture and suspense, but the stark moodiness of Fukunaga's Jane Eyre succeeds on each count. (Cate Hahneman)

The Madison Capital Times gives the film 3 1/2 stars:

The film avoids the usual extravagance expected of costume dramas, letting Wasikowska look plain in drab dresses. It makes her emotions the focal point rather than her appearance; elaborate costuming might have distracted from the intensity of her outstanding performance, the way fear, defiance and attraction mix in her steady gaze as she spars with Rochester. (Rob Thomas)

The Gateway's review is also positive but the reviewer considers Jane Eyre to be 'an early prototype of chick lit'.

Fukunaga proves his mettle by challenging the long tradition of Jane Eyre adaptations and producing a cinematic offering that does justice to the passionate romance between Jane and her master. As Jane would say: viewer, I liked it. (Carole Yue)

The Californian:

Fukunaga has turned what could have been a dry costume drama into a fresh and vibrant film. It manages to be romantic, spooky, funny and grand at the same time. (James Ward)

Isthmus:

Suspense is just one component of this lovely, absorbing film. It's mainly a very well-acted romance, the sort of buttoned-up Victorian love story that gets moviegoers sighing happily, as they did at a recent Madison promotional screening. I guess we can thank both 19th-century mores and the tightly controlled storytelling (Tamara Drewe scenarist Moira Buffini wrote the screenplay) for the fact that Jane and Rochester scarcely touch other as their ardor grows. (Kenneth Burns)

Mostly positive

The Monterey County Weekly:

The only aspect of Fukunaga’s Jane Eyre that is not fully palpable, however, is the passion that passes between the governess and her master. Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender are both splendid as Jane and Edward (and if you detect a whiff of intentional appeal to Team Edward tweeners in this remake of a classic work of literature, you’re probably on target). Wasikowska has the “plain Jane” look down pat, and she easily exudes the kind of intelligence and naturalism that made her work in two of last years’ films – Alice in Wonderland and The Kids Are All Right – so exceptional. Fassbender, too, is a major talent, whom most will recognize from his work in Inglourious Basterds (but those who want to check out the full extent of his controlled brilliance should seek out his performances in Hunger and Fish Tank). Despite individually excellent turns, though, there is little spark, hunger or lust that ignites between the two separated-by-circumstance lovers. [...]
Although Jane Eyre wants for the depth of passion and heat we might expect from this Gothic couple who feel united in their souls, this film can boast a wealth of attention given to other visual and narrative details. Perhaps every decade gets the Jane Eyre it deserves: Is the emphasis of conscience over passion emblematic of our times? (Marjorie Baumgarten)

Hilltop Views:

For fans of the novel and previous film adaptations, the new "Jane Eyre" should provide a fresh, non-redundant way to revisit the classic.
However, those unfamiliar with the story may find the new adaptation a little thin on plot and lacking some character development. It's one of the most common pitfalls of adapting a novel to the screen — without hundreds of pages of character development, the love between Eyre and Rochester may seem to develop rather swiftly and shallowly. And like many classic novels of that time period, the leading male protagonist, Rochester, is not exactly likeable, so with only 115 minutes to delve into his hidden sense of humanity, he does not seem to fully redeem himself for the way he treats Jane and the others around him.
Wasikowska does an impressive job of bringing Jane's full-blooded independence, stubbornness and resilience to life. The dialogue, though period-appropriate, still seems fresh and biting, and the locations and characters are painted with mystifying cinematography. Overall, "Jane Eyre" breathes new, evocative life into this old classic. (Caroline Wallace)

The Fairfield Weekly gives it 3 stars:

In the opening scene the camera jiggles and the wind blows Jane's braids out of their bun, announcing that this is not your grandmother's Jane Eyre. Both Buffini's screenplay and director Cary Joji Fukunaga (Sin Nombre) go a little overboard on the gothic, hoping to lure the Twihards to better literature. But Brazilian cinematographer Adriano Goldman's lighting is exquisite; when a candle is flickering under Wasikowska's chin she looks like a De La Tour. (Ann Lewinson)

The Portland Mercury:

The newest adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's oft-adapted book embraces the gothic sensationalism of its source material, playing it straight and spooky, with nary a wink to the audience. Wind and rain whip across the moors, rooms are lit only by candle, and director Cary Fukunaga throws in a few good old-fashioned jump scares, just because he can. It's this commitment to Jane Eyre's gothic side that keeps the film from straying into camp, and keeps it fundamentally entertaining even as it tears through that goofy story: orphan Jane's heartless aunt, her hellish boarding school, her post as a governess where she meets the almost comically virile Mr. Rochester (Michael Fassbender) and learns his deep, dark secret. (Alison Hallett)

Mostly negative

The Las Vegas Weekly gives it 3 out of 5 stars yet considers it 'Yet another pointless remake of ‘Jane Eyre’'.

But like most novels worth reading, Jane Eyre derives most of its power from its author’s prose style and its characters’ rich interior monologues, neither of which translates well to the silver screen. What you wind up with in their place is a lot of tempestuous brooding that rings vaguely hollow.
This latest version, directed by relative newcomer Cary Joji Fukunaga (Sin Nombre), can be best described as serviceable—a solid two-hour study guide for high school students who can’t be bothered to read the book. Mostly, it provides a showcase for two exciting new actors. Mia Wasikowska, who also played the title role in last year’s Alice in Wonderland, makes for an unusually tremulous Jane, while Michael Fassbender (Hunger, Inglourious Basterds), though far too handsome for the role as written, nonetheless conveys Rochester’s off-putting quality through offbeat line readings that somehow suggest the physical ugliness he so conspicuously lacks. The two play beautifully off each other, but they still can’t quite fill the holes left by Brontë. (Mike D'Angelo)

Gut Check - a Riverfront Times blog - had 'this idea that we'd go watch Jane Eyre and then eat Jamaican food'. What follows is a very original review of the film. Metro lists the film as one of its '10 Reasons to go to the movies this weekend'. 


The Celebrity Cafe reviews Dario Marianelli's soundtrack for the film:

The soundtrack for the film helps to bring an authentic feel and to score the motion and feelings of the characters as they discover themselves and each other with something sinister still lurking in the background. (Ellen Stodola)

There's a new review of the film on Associated Content. Drunk Writer Talk, Men on Film, Critical Outcast, Le Footnote, Four Colours and the Truth, Reader's Well and Dave's Movie Site, all review the film as well.

Categories: Jane Eyre, Movies-DVD-TV