I love the sprawling, poetic nature of great English literature. I love Mia Wasikowska. (And don’t tell anyone, but I am a romantic at heart. Wuthering Heights, by the other Brontë,tore me up for days. Shush.) Rotten Tomatoes, my trusted benchmark, also summarises the film as follows: “Cary Fukunaga directs a fiery and elegant adaptation, while Mia Wasikowska delivers possibly the best portrayal of the title character ever.” Logically I should thus love the film adaption of Jane Eyre.

Eish, I struggled with this film. I do recognise the brilliance of the writer that had to adapt an extensive, epic novel into a two-hour script, the understated, lingering performance by Mia, the picturesque English Midlands and the universal, timeless narrative that Brontë wrote. Yet I was bored at times, I have to admit. I think this film is meant for diehard Brontë fans.

In a nutshell

Jane is wronged from birth. She perseveres and gets her man. (My book club is going to give me lip for that summary.)

Mood of the film

Very very British and very romantic, with incredible prose thrown in.

Best one-liner

The last, last line of the film as spoken by Jane Eyre.

Most haunting scene

Where a young Jane has to stand on a chair for a whole day.

What makes the film relevant today?

Even though Jane lived in an oppressive society, as a woman she persevered and lived her life according to her own standards.

FIY

Mia Wasikowska is Australian!

Rotten Tomatoes Score
82%

My Score

70%