JANE EYRE – The Review

Jane Eyre graduates from required reading to accomplished cinema.

It may come as no surprise that I am not the world’s leading expert, nor am I the world’s biggest fan, of period English chick lit, which serves as the source material for a new adaptation of Charlotte Bronte’s JANE EYRE, originally published in 1847. There’s no doubt the book has had enormous influence on literature and irrefutable popularity, as many of the women I know jump to the opportunity to claim this as a favorite required reading from their school years. Going into this film, having never read the book, the question for me remained simple… how does it work on screen?

JANE EYRE tells the story of the title character, a pale scrawny girl with an independent, even wild spirit for her time. She is orphaned at a young age and left to be raised by her unloving aunt, until her aunt sends her off to a boarding school with a philosophy of education and discipline bordering on the barbaric. Her time here hardens Jane, teaches her the harshness of life and to keep her dreams and passions close to her heart.

Jane Eyre, played by Mia Wasakowska (ALICE IN WONDERLAND), has become a quiet, reserved young woman. Her mind, however, remains sharp and her words reflect this intellect in a humble manner working as governess for Mr. Rochester’s (Michael Fassbender) French daughter. Fassbender is compelling as the slightly depressed, often ill-tempered master of the large and impressive Thornfield Hall, but there’s also a vulnerability that allows him to see through Jane’s humble disguise and see her for her true self. Judi Dench (SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE) plays Mrs. Fairfax, the housekeeper for Thornfield Hall and occasional confidant to Jane Eyre as she attempts to decipher his encrypted attempts at showing his true feelings for her.

JANE EYRE was adapted into a screenplay by Moira Buffini and directed by Cary Fukunaga (SIN NOMBRE). Perhaps the first and most pleasurable element of the film to be noticed is the stunning cinematography from Adriano Goldman (CITY OF MEN), rich with picturesque landscapes dulled and dampened by the gray skies and misty airs of England.  Closely connected to this visceral visual interpretation of Jane Eyre’s emotional state, is the original music composed by Dario Marianelli (THE SOLOIST), classical and laden with the tormented beauty of the violin.

As for the story itself, JANE EYRE delivers a refreshing amount of suspense and mystery into a genre film which — in my opinion —  rarely does more than put me asleep. As a viewer, I was immersed into Jane’s dilemma, especially as it’s connected to her troubled past as a neglected child. Another interesting element that makes JANE EYRE a relative success is the choice to break the narrative into a non-linear flow. This essentially plays three-card Monty with Jane’s life, adding to the mystery for the viewer, which is already intrinsic to the story at hand… those familiar with the novel know what I mean.

Mia Wasakowska shows a more enlightened, fully mature side of her acting talents as Jane Eyre, reserving much of her characters’ emotions in her withheld reactions, a pleasant step forward from the unremarkable ALICE IN WONDERLAND adaption where she fared most average. Michael Fassbender (INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS) shines without going over the top, as he usually does in his own unique way. This, I believe more than anything, is the brilliant curse of Fassbender, always promising a stellar performance that is just subtle enough to keep him off the viewing public’s radar.

The pace of JANE EYRE, at a length of 115 minutes, is neither slow nor upbeat. The film clearly has it’s peaks and valleys, both in pace and intrigue. At times, most often when Jane and Mr. Rochester converse, the film is dynamic with dialogue delivered with great timing and subdued intensity, yet at other times in between the drab story is made bearable only by the creative crafts of Goldman and Marianelli. To be honest, JANE EYRE is much more bearable as an English period drama than I had expected, a welcome surprise, refusing to succumb to the typical soap opera nature of the literary fare… well, until the end, but what can a director do when the source material insists upon sappy endings?

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars