Love & Friendship
Welcome to Movie Night with Brandon, which is basically my excuse to discuss and review any film I feel like. Whether it's a brand new film or an older one, it's whatever I feel like doing. With all that out of the way, let's talk about some movies.
I have to eat some crow here, I was completely wrong in my judgment of this movie. I thought that based on the trailer that this film was your standard Jane Austen adaptation. I don't dislike Jane Austen's writing but they have just never been stories I liked very much. I thought this film was going to be mediocre and forgettable. But as I walked out of the theater, I realized how wrong my judgments were. This movie was flat-out great.
This film genuinely surprised my with how much I enjoyed it. The story follows a recently widowed Lady Vernon, played excellently by Kate Beckinsale, as she tries to find a new suitor for herself. While it's not a story that can be spoiled necessarily, I don't like getting too far into details. The entire cast completely nailed their roles. Kate Beckinsale has never wowed me since the work I've seen from her is usually very mundane, but she is superb in this movie. Her screen presence is incredible and she delivers her lines with the perfect amount of charisma needed for the part. All the other cast is very good as well, but none stand out as much as Tom Bennett. He was the most enjoyable part from the film and left me in tears I laughed so hard. While this film focuses on Beckinsale and she does an amazing job, Tom Bennett absolutely steals every scene he's in. His comedic timing and delivery is genuinely masterful.
The cinematography is very plain in the film, but it works because that's not what the film is going for. It completely stands on the strength of the directing and the screenplay. While I've never seen work from director Whit Stillman prior to this, he directs his actors and actresses very well in this film and has a great hold on the film. His adaptation of the Jane Austen story is where his talents are mostly present though boasting an Oscar-worthy screenplay. The film constantly feels fresh and never has a dull moment. If I had but one complaint is that the film wraps up very abruptly, leaving me desiring more.
Love & Friendship is the biggest surprise of the year so far, as it blew me away with it's presentation. This film made me laugh harder than any movie has in years and it was a very fun film to watch. Although I wish the film was a bit longer, the run-time is very accessible and contributes to the films fantastic pacing.
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