What’s It About?
What We Thought:
There is a great love story between Jane and Mr Rochester that is brought out in an understated, yet intensely romantic fashion. I am very impressed by Mia Wasikowska and she has these great doe eyes that convey so much emotion without saying a word. This role seemed as if Charlotte Brontë wrote it just for her. Fassbender played a perfect brooding, strong and silent type. Despite their age difference they obviously were able to connect during this film and the chemistry was apparent.
Despite this being a retold story that has had many versions made, this takes on unique qualities such as changing up the linear structure and playing up the spooky elements. The cinematography was quite beautiful and I thought it was carefully and emotionally directed by Fukunaga. The story unfolded and was able to pull you in without much action at all, which is always impressive. I greatly enjoyed Jane Eyre.
One thing that kind of threw me off while watching the film was that the trailer seemed to set me up to think that there was going to have more horror elements, but it was more like a ghost story/love story mix than a straight horror movie. When I started watching the movie I was waiting for the scene when it would start to feel like a horror movie, but it never really moves past creepy undertones. As soon as I realized what the movie was going for, however, it was really easy to get into the story that they were trying to tell.
The film is rather slow paced and it takes its time to tell you its story. There are very few scenes of action, usually its more of a scene that makes you guess what’s really going on that the characters in the movie aren’t telling Jane Eyre. This kept you in the dark for most of the movie and added to the allure. It was also helpful that the movie was filmed beautifully. The sets were grand and the lighting and techniques made the movie very pleasant to look at. Overall, this movie was enjoyable to watch and was a good Sunday matinee.
