Sorry, this movie sucks

Great Film overall

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

This is far from being the best adaptation of a Jane Austen novel.While there is a defined story line, it is often difficult to follow due to the way in which the action jumps from place to place with little or no explanation. This makes the film disjointed, something which is made worse by the tendency of some of the players to rush or mumble their words. Chloe Sevigny, as Lady Susan's friend and confidante, Alicia Johnson, is particularly guilty in this respect.The sets, costumes and general atmosphere are excellent although the production lacks any real impetus. The acting ranges from good to indifferent, some of the actors seeming to be doing little more than entering, reading their lines and then disappearing again. That said, Kate Beckinsale makes a fair fist of her leading role and Tom Bennett, as the excruciatingly awful Sir James Martin, is something of a scene stealer. However, the object of Lady Susan's enduring affection, Lord Manwaring, barely appears, which one could also wish of his wife who screeches and wails to no purpose and surely behaves in no way like a late 18th lady.Would I watch it again ? Perhaps, on a wet Wednesday in winter when there was nothing else to do, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it.

I'll be upfront. I am not a fan of Jane Austen. Her writing is emotional without being emotive (believe me, there is a difference) and her "complex" plots are just wasted words. This movie put all her bad habits on display and confirmed my opinion of Austen all over again. Women are made to look conniving, silly or vacuous and men just silly. Kate Beckinsale is a good actress but she couldn't save this mess. Besides she plays one of the most hateful mothers that ever stood on the planet. Difficult to make that role pleasing. Especially when she goes after an in-laws' son who is half her age but well- monied -- which is, of course, the point. Who cares whether her own daughter would be a better match?The retelling of the story is done -- perhaps for comical effect -- by occasionally stopping in a pose with captions explaining the moment ala the silent movies. Silent movies could be overwrought and Jane Austen practically invented the emotion so I can see the connection but it made everything even sillier.Eventually the movie ends with at least one couple married appropriately but you don't get to see how that comes about which is highly unsatisfying. But the movie ends and that's that. There's no denouement, nothing to tie up unresolved matters, nothing. Boom. The end. Truly the most anticlimactic ending ever. The only person who might enjoy "Love and Friendship" would be an absolutely rabid Austen fan, but they'd also have to be highly forgiving.

The action takes place at an epoch where people of high society didn't work at all and lived on rents of their estates and property. They had therefore plenty of time to engage themselves in amorous intrigues, seduction attempts and flirtations to pass time leading a pleasant life. This movies shows that kind of atmosphere in an admirable way in terms of sceneries, situations, costumes, rich dialogues and the actors' and actresses' performances. The story in itself is quite trivial but can be pleasantly viewed by the onlooker since it is visually very agreeable. To sum it up the story tells us about a charming young widow who is trying to get a suitable rich husband for her daughter and finishes herself also entangled in some love courtship vicissitudes. There is a brilliant reconstitution and presentation of life and society of the upper classes at that time and that's all.

First of all, yes, I'm a big fan of Jane Austen and I truly felt this movie did justice to her writing. Kate Beckinsale gave a terrific performance, and she was deliciously mean and sexy through the whole story. The sets and locations were beautiful, they really transported you to the time period (along with the lush costumes and makeup. I felt the supporting cast did a very good portraying their characters but Kate Beckinsale kept all eyes on her. Hard to believe this is the same actress who goes and do Underworld when she is so good at actual acting; and not just being dangerously sexy. I did feel the movie was kept contained like a page inside a book. There was a bit more that could have been done to create a bigger world, but the budget was probably limited. Terrific movie.