The Jane Austen Book Club

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What’s the Story?

Four women and one man meet once a month to dissect Jane Austen's classics in THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB. It's a motley crew and, thanks to their wildly different personalities, not everyone gels easily. But their commitment to the famed author wills them to persist, and they wind up the better for it. French teacher Prudie (Emily Blunt) longs for romance, yet takes her husband for granted even as she fantasizes about a sexually aggressive student, while Bernadette (Kathy Baker) is a serial monogamist who loves being married but can't make a union last. Sylvia (Amy Brenneman) is devoted to her family but finds it -- and herself -- decimated when her husband, Daniel (Jimmy Smits), abandons her for another woman. Sylvia's best friend, Jocelyn (Maria Bello), wants to fix her up with her addition to the book club, Grigg (Hugh Dancy), who only has eyes for Jocelyn.

Is It Any Good?

There's enough drama -- big and small -- in The Jane Austen Book Club to fill one of the author's novels. As a techie confused by Austen's novels (he compares Mansfield Park to Return of the Jedi) and the women who read them, Dancy is supremely likable. He genuinely looks befuddled, especially when the object of his affection, Jocelyn, pushes him to court her best friend instead. Dancy and Bello have great chemistry; she can barely tamp down her usual smoldering self to portray a woman who better understands dogs than men. Blunt again proves herself talented with a storyline that's at once scandalous and poignant, and Brenneman stands out as a wife blindsided by her husband's infidelity.

In fact, the whole ensemble is strong, and the early scenes in which they try to get comfortable with each other are especially entertaining. (If you've ever been in a book club, you'll understand.) But there's something a little removed about watching a movie about a book club about Jane Austen. The many layers to sift through threaten to weigh down the movie. And some of the parallels drawn between Austen's books and the characters' lives feel forced. Plus, with so many people to keep track of, it's all too easy to get distracted. And if you've never read Austen, prepare to be somewhat lost.