Common Sense Media Review
By Tara McNamara
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Charming French romcom has sex, nudity, drinking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Jane Austen Wrecked My Life
What's the Story?
In JANE AUSTEN WRECKED MY LIFE, Paris bookseller Agathe (Camille Rutherford) longs for romance, but it's not her top priority. Instead, she uses her frustrated romantic existence to inspire her writing, and she takes classes to help her achieve her goal of becoming a published novelist. Then she's unexpectedly granted acceptance into the Jane Austen Residency to finish her book and, as she's departing for England, her womanizing best friend, Félix (Pablo Pauly), gives her a passionate kiss. Before she can really catch her breath from that, she's greeted by Oliver (Charlie Anson), the arrogant, insufferably handsome great-great-great-great-grandnephew of Austen herself.
Is It Any Good?
Jane Austen's stories have spawned a legion of modern-day adaptations, most of them pretty good—and this one is no exception. Jane Austen Wrecked My Life is a charming examination of Agathe (Rutherford), a character whose relatable quirks and unpolished charm make her feel like someone Austen herself might have written. While many romcom heroines stride through their stories with self-assured fabulousness (looking at you, Notting Hill and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days), Agathe is refreshingly grounded. She's juggling writing classes, working at the hip Shakespeare & Co. bookstore, and helping her sister raise her nephew—and is absolutely shocked to find herself at the center of a love triangle.
Agathe is so much more than an object of desire. She's a fully realized, three-dimensional, messy, imperfect, lovable female character. The film is fun for a girls' night, but it's also sneakily insightful in its portrayal of a woman who discovers that love doesn't always come when you're hungry for it—sometimes, it arrives when your plate is overflowing. Agathe's experiences are funny, her decisions are refreshing, her outcome is unexpected, and the film's final message? Well, it's downright love-ly.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Jane Austen's role in changing how female characters were portrayed in literature and, ultimately, in films and television. How do you see that reflected in Jane Austen Wrecked My Life? Why is it important to feature female characters who are fully realized and don't pursue a man to "complete" them?
Writer-director Laura Piani says she made Jane Austen Wrecked My Life because she missed romantic comedies of the 1990s. What were the hallmarks of the genre in that decade? What are the similarities and differences between those movies and this film? What nods to Jane Austen novels did you recognize?
Are smoking and drinking glamorized here? Are there realistic consequences? Why does that matter?
Movie Details
- In theaters : May 23, 2025
- On DVD or streaming : July 1, 2025
- Cast : Camille Rutherford , Pablo Pauly , Charlie Anson
- Director : Laura Piani
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s)
- Studio : Sony Pictures Classics
- Genre : Romance
- Run time : 98 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : language, some sexual content and nudity.
- Last updated : May 30, 2025
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