Latest news with #Persuasion
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
"Jane Austen Wrecked My Life" is a rom-com for book lovers plagued by reality's disappointments
With "Jane Austen Wrecked My Life," writer-director Laura Piani delivers a rom-com tailor-made for Austen devotees that centers on a modern-day echo of "Persuasion"'s Anne Elliot, a woman named Agathe (Camille Rutherford), who is loveless and yet resists the charms of her Shakespeare & Company coworker, Félix (Pablo Pauly) — except when she doesn't. Agathe harbors the romantic notion that she is living in the wrong century and struggles to finish a book inspired by a fantasy. In the grip of a serious case of writer's block, her life takes a fortuitous turn when she is accepted at a Jane Austen retreat after Félix secretly submits an application on her behalf. This twist of fate leads to a chance encounter with Oliver (Charlie Anson), Austen's great-great-great-grandnephew, and it's hate at first sight. (How Austen!) Agathe's vomiting on Oliver's shoes is not an auspicious start, nor is calling him 'unbearable, arrogant, and totally stuck up' within earshot. Never mind the moment she accidentally exposes herself to him. Of course, they are perfect for each other, but as situations prompt a détente, Félix arrives to accompany Agathe to the retreat's Ball, widening the path for romantic folly. 'Jane Austen Wrecked My Life' features many literary references and running gags to charm viewers. Piani spoke with Salon about making the film and her love of Austen. The following interview has been edited for length and clarity. 'Jane Austen Wrecked My Life' is about getting inspiration. What inspired you to write and direct this very literary story as a film, rather than pen it as a novel? I was a screenwriter for 12 years, so my language is screenwriting, and I have such a huge admiration for writers. Maybe one day I'll write a novel, but I really wanted to do a rom-com. As a viewer, I was missing the arthouse rom-coms from the '90s in England; it seemed like they disappeared. So, it was a desire to write something that I wanted to see as a viewer. It comes from my experience working as a bookseller at Shakespeare and Co., where I have been working for a long time — this place as a theater stage like in 'The Shop Around the Corner,' a place where you have so many people who like to read and who dream of writing. How do you make it with high ideals about literature and love? Agathe kind of stands in her own way, like many an Austen heroine. She is blocked personally (sexually), professionally (writing) and psychologically (she hates being in a car). I like that she is both stubborn (she won't do what she doesn't want to) and determined (she will do what she wants). She wants things on her terms. But she suffers from impostor syndrome and feels like life could pass her by. How did you conceive of her character? When I started to think about the character, I wanted to write a story about grief — a woman who is blocked and going to face her desire. That would be her journey. And I didn't want to make a rom-com about a woman being saved by a man or by love. I wanted to make a 2025 rom-com where a woman could have a dream other than finding love. So, she would not have impossible romantic expectations. I like it when characters have dreams — not just goals, but something bigger. If she is not able to write anything because she writes one chapter and feels like such an impostor that she stops, or she is not capable of falling in love or engaging with anyone because she fantasizes too much, and reality is always too disappointing, who can she blame? Then I thought about Jane Austen as a comedic way to open the path for so many impossible romantic expectations. She could be feeling that what she writes is not important enough or too light. I heard that rom-coms are a girly, cheesy genre. But it is a very political genre. When you talk about love and romance, you talk about how people live. It can be very deep and entertaining, and that's what Jane Austen did. To answer your question, how did I work on this character? I tried to blend a very modern, contemporary character's journey with elements of Jane Austen's work. 'Persuasion' inspired me the most, and Agathe quotes from the book, saying she feels it is 'too late.' I love that 'Persuasion' was written 300 years ago by a woman who had to address the fact that many women are made to feel that it is 'too late' for them. This is so modern! I built the character inspired by Jane Austen's 'Persuasion,' on Jane Austen's life, and on my own experience as a reader, a writer and a bookseller —and my own grief, because I was grieving at the time I wrote I met the actress who I chose because of her melancholy and weirdness. I love Camille Rutherford because she is not only extremely beautiful, but she doesn't care about being beautiful. She is all about physical comedy and can do all kinds of absurd slapstick. She is not precious, but she is timeless and can play in a Jane Austen book. Together, we created this character who was in my mind and became her interpretation. The more contradictions the character has, the more relatable she is. Agathe has a Jane Austen for every circumstance. Who is your Austen character? What is beautiful about Jane Austen is that you can encounter books and characters all your life and change. I feel closest to Anne Elliot myself, because of the weird mix of humor and her melancholy, which is what I tried to do with the tone of the film. But I am also Elizabeth Bennet from 'Pride and Prejudice,' sometimes. You also feature many other literary references, such as Agathe shelving Julio Cortázar's 'Hopscotch,' consulting the 'I Ching,' namedropping Octavio Paz, and more. What prompted the specific literary references, and what authors inspire you? There is one book that changed my life — it didn't wreck my life — 'The Golden Notebook' by Doris Lessing. I read it at the right age. What is so exciting and beautiful and mysterious are the encounters we have with books. You have books next to your bed or in your living room for so many years, and somehow you choose a book, and it answers so many questions or creates new ones. I am so amazed by these moments and these encounters with books. I remember being a child and being very disappointed with the idea of having only one life to live. Then I learned how to read, and I discovered you could have as many lives as you wanted because you have books. One of the most compelling, exciting experiences I had as a child was reading "The Diary of Selma Lagerlöf." She was a Swedish writer who received the Nobel Prize. She had a disability, and she was sent to the city for [therapy] and became a writer because she had a long train journey. I remember the emotion of being a child and discovering another child's diary about what it means to write. It was mind-blowing. The book I dream to adapt because of the language and story is 'Light Years' by James Salter. Everyone who loves reading has to deal with the huge frustration of not being able to read enough. It's a sickness. Can you talk about developing the comedy in the film? There is wordplay, there are sight gags (spitting llamas), there are pratfalls (in a forest), and embarrassment humor (the multiple nude scenes). Every scene features a kind of punchline — some witty, some somber. I think it is my own taste as a viewer. I became a cinephile because I discovered Billy Wilder and Ernst Lubitsch, and I never got over it. They are the masters. I love physical comedy and slapstick as much as a weird line a character would think and say out loud. I try to mix what I like about life. Comedy is about shame and what we are all trying to hide — all the things that make us poor human creatures — this is the treasure of comedy, being able to laugh about that, but it can be very sad. I love when you feel the core of comedy is a deep sadness, and it is such a catharsis to laugh about it. I looked at actors who were able to physically accommodate that. Camille was funnier and weirder and clumsier — and happier. The Ball sequence is particularly interesting because we get the entire romance without dialogue. Can you discuss the love triangle in general and that scene in particular? The love triangle is timeless. It's been done so often, but it is wonderful to explore. I love this dilemma. I wanted the ball scene to be a tribute to all the books and films we love and that we have in mind when we think about Jane Austen. I also wanted it to be the emotional peak of this love triangle. I like that it is more about the bodies and the way they look at each other, which is so cinematic. Silence brings you back to the beginning of cinema. It was a very low-budget film, so we had constraints on what we could afford, but I wanted it to be magical and fulfilling for the audience, so I wanted the camera to dance with the characters. It's the only time the camera is moving. We didn't have money for big lights. We watched 'Amadeus' and thought, "We will put candles everywhere!" We had no money to buy period costumes. A week before shooting the scene, I realized I would not be able to teach them how to dance, so I called an emergency dance teacher who taught them the choreography in four hours! Do you think, as Oliver does, that Jane Austen is overrated and limited in scope? People who say that didn't read her. It's a posture. I confess I did not like 'Emma' when I had to read it in college. I hate Emma! But 'Clueless' is the best adaptation ever! It's soo good. Emma is the only character who is unbearable to me. But Austen does make a point through that character. I'm not sure she likes her so much either. What Austen easter eggs did you hide in 'Jane Austen Wrecked My Life' that Austen fans should look for? Two things. When she is inspired after the fantasy in the Chinese restaurant, and she is writing in her room, the desk is full of Jane Austen's books, and the shadow of Austen's face is on the books. And, at the very end, when Agathe imagines the hand of her father touching her shoulder, on her desk is the big book of correspondence between Jane Austen and [her sister] Cassandra. 'Jane Austen Wrecked My Life' is now playing in theaters nationwide.
Edinburgh Live
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Period drama fans have 'new favourite' in 'gorgeous' Netflix film
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info The last completed novel by literary legend Jane Austen is a classic tale that has been reimagined for the screen, starring A-list actress Dakota Johnson in a dramatic retelling of 19th-century life. Austen enthusiasts and fans of period dramas are always seeking a taste of her timeless stories. Despite being centuries old, her works remain popular for their witty characters and passionate romances. Persuasion offers both, and the 2022 film adaptation was highly anticipated by devotees of the author. One viewer shared their thoughts on Rotten Tomatoes: "People are mad it's not your usual Austen adaptation. It's funny, it's modern, it's cute, it's heart-wrenching... It'll make you laugh and make you cry. It's one of my favourite movies. Even if the two have zero chemistry!". In the film, Johnson plays Anne Elliot, a 27-year-old English woman who moves to Bath with her family to reduce their expenses. They rent their estate to an admiral and his wife, whose brother, Frederick Wentworth, is Anne's former lover, reports Surrey Live. (Image: Nick Wall/Netflix) The pair were engaged in 1806 but parted ways after Anne was persuaded by loved ones to end the relationship. Eight years later, still single, they meet again and are given a second chance at love. One review reads: "I love this version of Persuasion. It's visually beautiful; the use of colour and light, the outdoor scenes, costumes, and even the wallpaper! Just gorgeous. It also captures the humour of Jane Austen's novel in a way that feels more playful than previous versions. "Anne speaking directly to the camera lends itself to the viewer being in on the joke. I'll admit I was ready to dislike Dakota Johnson as Anne but was pleasantly surprised with her portrayal." The cinematic adaptation has taken the daring step of casting an American actress for a role steeped in British tradition, injecting the film with a gleeful twist - a move that has left audiences split. One critic said: "Dakota Johnson's accent is all over the place, and her acting skills are lacking. The story is so convoluted you can't keep up... especially if you are aware of what it truly is about... steer clear of this one." (Image: Tom Wren SWNS) Conversely, some advocates laud the film for its audacious approach, putting a contemporary spin on an age-old narrative. Their comments include: "Ahead of its time, this is that film which makes fools of its reviewers quickest off the mark. Granted, it is a jarring first watch, especially for Austen-genre enthusiasts. Its fourth-wall-breaking, modernised dialogue and playful actor interpretations are unexpected." Cosmo Jarvis, who plays Johnson's love interest, is one of the main attractions of the film, in what is one of his most significant roles to date. The film also boasts performances from renowned actors such as Richard E. Grant and young British talent Mia McKenna. Why not take a trip back in time and see if this period drama can win you over – will it capture your heart or leave you wishing they'd left the book alone? The 2022 much-loved adaptation of Persuasion is now available for streaming on Netflix.
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Netflix fans have 'new favourite film' with 'heart-wrenching' period drama
Netflix has been the home of some of the most popular period dramas in recent years, with the likes of Bridgerton and The Crown taking the world by storm, and now the streaming service has added a new romance to its collection The final, enthralling and completed novel by the literary icon Jane Austen has been transformed into a screen adaptation that features an A-list star delivering the dramatics of the 19th century. Austen aficionados and period drama enthusiasts are forever in pursuit of the acclaimed author's tales. Despite their existence for hundreds of years, the captivating wit of her characters and fiery romance within her stories leave readers yearning for more. Persuasion ticks both boxes and hence the film's launch in 2022 sparked considerable excitement amongst devotees of Austen's work. These sentiments were echoed on Rotten Tomatoes where an audience member posted: "People are mad it's not your usual Austen adaptation. It's funny, it's modern, it's cute, it's heart-wrenching... It'll make you laugh and make you cry. It's one of my favourite movies. Even if the two have zero chemistry!". With Dakota Johnson, whose casting was itself a topic of debate, starring as protagonist Anne Elliot following her resettling in Bath, England, the movie navigates her life there. At 27, the Englishwoman relocates with her family to save money, opting to let out their family manor to an admiral and his spouse, reports Surrey Live. Coincidentally, the admiral's sister-in-law's brother is Frederick Wentworth, Anne's former fiance from 1806 whom she parted from owing to her family's influence. Fast forward eight years and they're both unwed, fate orchestrates their reunion granting them another shot at love. One review reads: "I love this version of Persuasion. It's visually beautiful; the use of colour and light, the outdoor scenes, costumes, and even the wallpaper! Just gorgeous. It also captures the humour of Jane Austen's novel in a way that feels more playful than previous versions. "Anne speaking directly to the camera lends itself to the viewer being in on the joke. I'll admit I was ready to dislike Dakota Johnson as Anne but was pleasantly surprised with her portrayal." The film took a bold stance in casting an American actress to play a quintessentially British character and decided to go for a more playful take, which has left some viewers divided. One person penned: "Dakota Johnson's accent is all over the place, and her acting skills are lacking. The story is so convoluted you can't keep up... especially if you are aware of what it truly is about... steer clear of this one." While others have lauded the film's bravery for trying to put a modern spin on a classic tale. They said: "Ahead of its time, this is that film which makes fools of its reviewers quickest off the mark. Granted, it is a jarring first watch, especially for Austen-genre enthusiasts. Its fourth-wall-breaking, modernised dialogue and playful actor interpretations are unexpected." Cosmo Jarvis, who plays Johnson's love interest, is one of the main attractions in this film, which also boasts performances from Richard E. Grant and young British talent Mia McKenna. Why not take a trip back in time and see if this period drama can win you over? The 2022 hit adaptation of Persuasion is now available to stream on Netflix.
Los Angeles Times
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
‘Jane Austen Wrecked My Life' is a winning romance in which real life sneaks up on the bookish
'Jane Austen Wrecked My Life' is a catchy, provocative title for writer-director Laura Piani's debut feature, but it is a bit of a misnomer. Her heroine, Agathe (Camille Rutherford), may harbor that fear deep inside, but it's never one she speaks aloud. A lonely clerk working at the famed Shakespeare and Company bookshop in Paris, she gets lost in the love notes left on the store's mirror and complains to her best friend and coworker Felix (Pablo Pauly) that she was born in the wrong century, unwilling to engage in casual 'digital' connection. Highly imaginative, Agathe perhaps believes she's alone because she won't settle for anything less than a Darcy. Good thing, then, that Felix, posing as her agent, sends off a few chapters of her fantasy-induced writing to the Jane Austen Residency. And who should pick up Agathe from the ferry but a handsome, prickly Englishman, Oliver (Charlie Anson), the great-great-great-great-grandnephew of Ms. Austen herself. She can't stand him. It's perfect. 'Jane Austen Wrecked My Life' is the kind of warm romance that will make any bookish dreamer swoon, as a thoroughly modern woman with old-fashioned ideas about love experiences her own Austenesque tumble. While Agathe initially identifies with the wilting old maid Anne from 'Persuasion,' her shyly budding connection with Oliver is more Elizabeth Bennet in 'Pride and Prejudice.' A pastoral English estate is the ideal setting for such a dilemma. The casting and performances are excellent for this contemporary, meta update: Rutherford is elegant but often awkward and fumbling as Agathe, while Anson conveys Oliver's passionate yearning behind his reserved, wounded exterior with just enough Hugh Grantian befuddlement. Pauly plays the impulsive charlatan with an irrepressible charm. But it isn't just the men that have Agathe in a tizzy. The film is equally as romantic about literature, writing and poetry as it is about such mundane issues as matters of the flesh. A lover of books, Agathe strives to be a writer but believes she isn't one because of her pesky writer's block. It's actually a dam against the flow of feelings — past traumas and heartbreaks — that she attempts to keep at bay. It's through writing that Agathe is able to crack her heart open, to share herself and to welcome in new opportunities. 'Writing is like ivy,' Oliver tells Agathe. 'It needs ruins to exist.' It's an assurance that her past hasn't broken her but has given her the necessary structure to let the words grow. The way the characters talk about what literature means to them — and what it means to put words down — will seduce the writerly among the viewers, these discussions even more enchanting than any declarations of love or ardent admiration. If you've read any Austen (or watched any of the films made from her novels), Piani's movie will be pleasantly predictable in its outcome, but that doesn't mean it's not an enjoyable journey. It's our expectations, both met and upended, that give the film its appealing cadence. It never lingers too long and is just sweet enough in its displays to avoid any saccharine aftertaste or eye-rolling sentiment. There's a salve-like quality to 'Jane Austen Wrecked My Life,' a balm for any battered romantic's soul. It may be utter fantasy, but it's the kind of escape you'll want to revisit again and again, like a favorite Austen novel. And, as it turns out, our main character is wrong. Jane Austen didn't wreck her life, rather, she opened it up to the possibilities that were right in front of her. Katie Walsh is a Tribune News Service film critic.
Geek Vibes Nation
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
‘Jane Austen Wrecked My Life' Review: Camille Rutherford Tangos With Romance And Writer's Block In Laura Piani's Sharp Debut
From its title alone, you can tell that Laura Piani's Jane Austen Wrecked My Life is no Pride & Prejudice. As in, it's not exactly the dramatization of a (moving) picture-perfect romance in which two people go from enemies to potential lovers, nor where they traipse around picturesque manors in gowns, drink tea from sunup to sundown, and entertain throngs of esteemed guests in massive ballrooms stuffed to the gills with champagne and crumpets. There is romance aplenty, but nothing is perfect about it. A charming estate plays a sizable role in the film's events, but its guests are welcome to wear jeans as they mill about the grounds. Coffee and wine are served; an evening out on the town is an option; the one time a ball-like reception is thrown, it's treated as a special occasion, not a Thursday. The fact that these elements are in play at all makes it certain that Piani's romantic comedy will be placed in direct conversation with the legendary author's work, but imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and the writer-director's debut feature is as much a clever, borderline satirical ode to Austen's texts as it is inspired by them. In other words, there's a reason that her film is called Jane Austen Wrecked My Life and not Jane Austen Is My Life, even if her main character makes it clear early on that she adores Austen's novels and identifies most closely with Persuasion's Anne Elliot. Agathe Robinson (Camille Rutherford) doesn't quite live the life of an old maid, but she's certainly an independent spirit whose world is confined to her duties at Paris's Shakespeare and Company bookstore, as well as her own writing dreams, which are supported and encouraged by her close circle of confidants. Her sister is a single (but ready to mingle) mom, which makes the eternally-available Agathe the ideal aunt. And while her best friend and coworker, Félix (Pablo Pauly), tends to sleep around, his heart is in the right place. That's precisely why it's no surprise to learn that he is the one who secretly submitted Agathe's newest story to writer's retreat housed at Jane Austen's old residence, a prospect she initially (and nervously) spurns due to a nagging case of imposter syndrome, only to accept once she realizes how ridiculous it would be to reject the opportunity to type where her favorite scribe once scrawled. There are a few (read: three) big problems, though: For starters, her writer's block – a symptom of imposter syndrome – is nagging heavily, and causing immense frustration for a young woman whose opportunity to showcase her gifts has finally arrived. Then, there's the fact that Felix kissed Agathe and expressed his feelings for her just moments before she had to go away for a month. (Naturally.) Finally, there's Oliver (Charlie Anson), the stuck-up, devilishly handsome sourpuss who drives Agathe to the workshop, and also turns out to be Austen's great-great-great-grandnephew. He's the worst. He thinks his renowned relative is overrated. He even speaks French – the film is in both French and English, reflecting Agathe's (and Rutherford's) bilinguality – which allows him to understand what the workshop's newest participant is saying when she mutters insults about him under her breath. But there's something about him, something that intrigues and frustrates Agathe to no end, an intangible quality that keeps her fascination with his every utterance a constant presence in the film, providing Piani's proceedings with a love triangle as its natural narrative engine. Yet the director and her star have far more on their mind than merely who Agathe will choose in the end. Jane Austen Wrecked My Life is a rom-com at its core, but it balances a plethora of tones, all of which are essential parts of its plot rather than throwaway elements that could theoretically make its characters more developed. Agathe deals with intense grief from a devastating tragedy; Oliver's father, Todd (Alan Fairbairn), is ailing, which puts a great deal of pressure on his mother, Beth (Liz Crowther), to run the Austen estate. That our two principal characters, in particular, are faced with these individual conflicts in the midst of the film's more mainstream qualities allows it to entirely clear the plane on which more basic, prototypical romantic fodder exists. It certainly helps that Rutherford's performance grounds the film with a resonance that far too few heroines are afforded in today's cinema. In an interview with Piani and Rutherford, the director told me that she especially enjoyed discovering Agathe as more of a real human than a mere character, something that Rutherford was instrumental in developing. Part of that is due to the star's innate abilities as a physical performer – Agathe is an enthusiastic dancer, whether she's fully clothed or in the nude; in one scene, she smells herself, only to discover that the odor is wretched; later, she's drunk enough to condemn a suitor for not going down on her. Agathe, thanks to Rutherford's interpretation of the character, is far from the sort of creation that Austen is famed for, and that's all the more reason for Jane Austen Wrecked My Life to succeed on its own merits. After all, despite Austen's influence and the film's meta commentary on her work and the tropes that often appear within, the story at its center is about a woman whose life has been altered because of Jane Austen's influence, not a life that has been written by Jane Austen. Austen might have wrecked Agathe's life in some ways, but the former also allows the latter to learn from the mistakes that her own protagonists have made in the process of paving her own road, both in the literary world and in the real one. Late in the film, Agathe comes to understand that both writing and love are not about operating in the ideal conditions, but about growth even when the environment appears to be barren. As one character notes, like weeds and plants, writing needs ruins to exist; 'Look for your ruins,' they tell Agathe. Naturally, this is where she finds the most success, and in many ways, it's what Jane Austen Wrecked My Life was doing all along: Exploring the perceived ruins of someone's life and uncovering profound lessons as a result.
