Movie Review: Jane Eyre (2011)
This movie is based on the classic English literature Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë that was first published in 1847, so you probably already know the story, even if you have never seen this movie - that is why I didn’t put spoiler alert in the title.
Jane Eyre is one of my favorite classic literature books. When I was a teenager, I went through a phase where I was really obsessed with classic English novels, especially with the romance and life during Victoria era in England. Books like Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion, Far from the Maddening Crowd and Wuthering Heights had certainly left a mark in my young mind, and was probably the subconscious reason pushed me to study abroad in U.K when I was in college (and absolutely loved my time there!).
Cary Joji Fukunaga’s 2011 adaptation of Jane Eyre transformed and immersed me into the Victorian era life that I was obsessed about as a teenage girl. Its cinematography was excellent and the faithful production design was top notch. I especially liked the use of color and nature to reflect the mood of Jane Eyre - the frame was noticeably brighter and more colorful when Jane was happy and in love, but grey and dark when she was in pain. I vividly remember the famous chapter in the book when Jane and Mr. Rochester confessed love to each other for the first time in the garden of Thornfield Hall, the weather started turning stormy and rainy, like a foreshadow for their doomed wedding. The movie had done the scene beautifully, where Jane’s famous speech about her being “poor and obscure” pulled my heartspring and I desperately wanted Jane and Mr. Rochester to get together and live happily ever since.
The acting was also excellent. To be honest, I was a little surprised about how wonderful Mia Wasikowska was as Jane, since I thought she was good, but not great, in Alice in Wonderland and Crimson Peak. However, her performance was stoic yet sensitive, and captured the strong and independent nature of Jane in a subtle, quiet way. She also had great chemistry with Michael Fassbender, in my opinion.
Michael Fassbender was a great Mr. Rochester as well, though at times I thought he’s almost too attractive to play Edward Fairfax Rochester. However, his attractiveness has a small amount of sinister to it (maybe I associate him with Magneto too much), which was perfect for a gothic romatic story like Jane Eyre.
Many online comments mentioned that Jaime Bell did a good job as St. John Rivers, but was a bit off at times, and potentially was a miscast. I wouldn’t call him a miscast, and I actually liked his version of St. John Rivers very much, but I do agree that I somehow imagined St. John Rivers to look older and more pious than Jaime Bell when I was reading the book.
Later I found out that director Cary Joji Fukunaga also directed the first season of True Detective, and it totally clicked in my head that it had the similar style of cinematography of True Detective, swapping English countryside with the swamps in New Orleans. I definitely look forward to watching Fukunaga’s new 007 “No Time to Die” movie later this year!
