Pride and Prejudice a Latter Day Comedy review for the Jane Austen Lover By Kearstin Calhoun

Pride and Prejudice a Latter-Day Comedy
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1136501-pride_and_prejudice/reviews/ 

Over Bloomsburg University's Spring Break 2019 I was able to catch up on some much need relaxation time to watch Pride and Prejudice: A Latter Day Comedy, a film adaptation of Jane Austen's novel.This story's setting takes place in Utah in the ealry 2000's. The charcters are morman hence the whole "latter day comedy" phrase in the title.Admitedly I dont know enough about morman culture and things I shouldve been looking for in the movie based off of the katter day saint references. I believe theres much more to this movie to observe than just that unique aspect. 

From left to right: Jane Vasquez, Elizabeth Bennet, Lydia Meryton, and Kitty Meryton. Mary is not pictured. The girls minus Mary

The first major change from Asuten's version to the movie is finding out that the "five Bennet sisters" are not sisters at all in the
film. Instead, Mary, Jane, Lydia, Kitty and Elizabeth Bennetare all roomates with the exception of Lydia and Kitty being sisters
in the movie. Compared to the gentle, soft, fun girls in Austen's story sadly, the characters in the film adaptation cannot compare.
The descriptions of the girls in the movie are hilarious to say the least. Elizabeth is smart, funny, and an extreme feminist. She is

made to be the most sucessfull. Elizabeth attends graduate school, while writing a book looking for feedback to get it published,
all while working at her local bookstore. Mary, who may easily offend many lovers of Jane Austens book, (okay lets face it, all
of the characters are a little offensive to the classic story of Pride and Prejudice) is super nerdy and compared to the
"awkwardness of 100 first dates" by Elizabeth at the begining of the story. Lydia and Kitty Meryton are the quite stuck up,
snobby sisters who really only ever care about how the look and men with money.

The first sentence of Jane Austen's novel, Pride and Prejudice.

I think that, though there are vast amounts of differences from the book to the film, the movie isnt as horrible as one might say.
sure, the movie is upsettingly unidentical to the book but if you take a step back, there are some really witty and fun comparisons
to be made and Elizabeth and Darcys relationship still makes a heart pump a little faster. (Though arguably, it will never be done as
well as the novel).With a modern day Utah setting, director Andrew Black, is able to bring to life a new Elizabeth Bennet, who is
now a hard working writer and student. It really takes you back at first, not having Mr. or Mrs. Bennet in the movie.Elizabeth, who
is incredibly strong minded and very femenist (she brings this up in the movie a bunch of times) is as ignored by Darcy as Jane
is captivated by Bingley and Caroline, who is Bingley’s sister, watches Darcy like she owns him. There were times I had caught
myself thinking about how funny they could possibly be. But for the sake of keeping things modern, I did my best to try to
understand that taking out these two (amazing) characters was somewhat necessary for a movie in the 2000's. Lady Catherine is
also absent from the movie along many fewer scenes with our good old friend Williams.

What it could've been like, had Mrs. Bennet been involved:( 
Pinterest*

For the most part the director of the film adaptation, Andrew Black, was able to keep some similarities when it comes to the girls and their
bahavior. Jane is not a white, blonde hair, blue eyed beautiful, favorite daughter but she is still a beautiful, standout argentinian
roomate who shares a room with Elizabeth whom she is best friends with. Black does a good job at portraying the "sisterly
friendship" between these two in a modern way. Kitty is a little dunsy but a follower of whatever her sister, Lydia wants to do
which typically entails being spoiled and getting whatever she wants.. and chasing after guys. All the while Mary, who really only
shows up for a few scenes, chases after an awkward Williams Collins the entire movie. I have to admit, the acting is awful but if
you can somehow laugh it off it becomes even funnier.

The romance that takes place between Elizabeth and 'Fitzwilliam' Darcy, who is a British publisher, is the heart of the story.
Although there is a "cheesyness factor" that is a little hard to overcome, it is actually really adorable towards the end of the film.
As I mentioned above, there are a lot of Mormon cultural things taking place in this film which is why I believe, marriage is able
to be brought up to regularly and fast. There is a good chunck of the movie taken up by the malicious Jack Wickham who is, dare I
say, "dating" Elizabeth, only because I dont think theres another word to describe their weird affair. Jack brings up marriage at least
3 different times to Elizabeth befor Elizabeth decides to "break things off" with him when he then SPOILER ALERT moves on to
Lydia and drives her off to tie the knot in Los Vegas. When Elizabeth comes into her first encounter with Darcy, she is working. This
is the first time we see this crazy, obbsessed over, Pink Bible, a book that teaches you " how to bring your man to his knees."

Youtube video link

I think that the Pink bible plays a huge role in the treatment of gender in this film. Even with it being one of the "newer" more "modern" films there is still a very thick line drawn between man and woman.. For instance, the way Darcy acts towards Elizabeth or the way the girls(minus Elizabeth) feel the need to get married. But we are also able to see a tremendous breakthorough from the original novel. Where it was always hush hush for a girl to speak out, now we have a girl envisioning dumping water all over someone in a resturaunt for not liking her book. Although- I still totally wish she wouldve actually done it! The way that women are able to make so many ore decisons for themselves and became so muhc more independent throughout the movie (even if independent sometimes means binge watching tv and eating kegs of ice cream that you bought) is spectacular. 

A screen shot from the movie... Jane and Elizabeth getting their 2 kegs of ice cream. LIVING THE LIFE

The confrontation between Darcy and Elizabeth takes place in a bookstore when Elizabeth tries to ask Darcy for help and Darcy later insults Elizabeth. AHHHHH ROMANCE <3 The relationship between the two gets even worse when Darcy is admitedly shameful about his "crush" on Elizabeth... If it were a text it probably would've been something like this.. 

When Darcy criticizes the book Elizabeth sends to his firm, which she had no idea was his, she immediatelty blames the fact that she had turned him down on his reasoning for critizing. their relationship takes a rocky turn but Darcy, much like the novel, writes a letter ( email) for Elizabeth explaining himself so that she can both understand him and the real Jack.  When Elizabeth goes out for one last hike before going on her study abroad trip to Europe, she falls asleep in the middle of the woods and "coincidentally enough"  is forced to take shelter from the heavy rain in a cabin in the woods that is Darcys. This scene reminds me a lot of the original film scene where Elizabeth takes a trip to their home and didnt know hed be there. This is a really adorable scene with Darcy, his sister and Elizabeth eating and enjoying their time together. This is where you really see the connection between the two flourish. 

I think that although the acting for this film couldve been fixed up. and the storylines couldve been better executed it is all-in-all a very cute, harmless film. I know as a Jane Austen lover myself, there are a few scenes that are unforgivable. But I recommend giving it a chance. It will be sure to make you laugh and its highly approproiate for the whole family.