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Jayne Eyre
| Released |
9 September 2011 |
| Director |
Cary Joji Fukunaga |
Starring
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Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Jamie Bell, Su Elliot, Holliday Grainger, Tamzin Merchant |
| Writer(s) |
Moira Buffini |
| Producer(s) |
Alison Owen, Paul Trijbits |
| Origin |
United Kingdom |
| Running Time |
120 minutes |
| Genre |
Drama, romance |
| Rating |
12A |
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Eyre on the side of caution.
So, yet another adaptation of Emily Bronte’s classic novel hits the screens. Helmed by up and coming director Cary Fukunaga (Sin Nombre), scripted by Moira Buffini (Tamara Drewe) and starring bright young things Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender, this has all the hallmarks of a 'quality production'. And therein lies its problem. The enduring attraction of Jane Eyre is its excess of style and high emotion- Jane’s tormented childhood, Thornfield Hall and its terrible secret and the brooding, Byronic Mr. Rochester. It should be dark, frightening, passionate and just pushing the limits of good taste- like an American soap opera in corsets. Much to my disappointment, excess is the crucial ingredient that this version studiously avoids in screenplay, direction and performance.
Instead, tasteful restraint seems to be the order of the day. Moira Buffini’s screenplay plays around with the original format and in doing so effectively cuts out most of the darkness of the piece. The removal of the sinister Mrs. Poole (nursemaid to the insane Mrs. Rochester) in favour of beefing up the part of comforting housekeeper Mrs. Fairfax does the story no favours. In effect, Buffini sacrifices the gothic horror in favour of the gothic romance. Most disappointing is the script’s take on Rochester; who would look more at home swigging absinthe in a fin de siècle Parisian cabaret than thundering around the moors. There is no air of danger about him and the usually excellent Fassbender seems duly lost in the role.
Having said all that, there is no getting away from the fact that Jane Eyre will always have the ability to grip an audience and this version has much to recommend it. Mia Wasikowska is excellent, perfectly capturing the spirit of this proto-feminist character in her blend of wide-eyed fragility and whip-smart intellect. She at least manages to bring some much needed passion. Judi Dench does the Judi Dench thing and is, as always, a reliable presence. Elsewhere, Jamie Bell puts in an interesting turn as St. John Rivers, giving a much needed hard edge to this usually drab character.
Is this the definitive Jane Eyre? Definitely not; but it is not an unmitigated failure. In fact if you’re not familiar with the story, then it will no doubt appeal as an above average period drama. For Eyre aficionados meanwhile, the execution of the classic story may be flawed but is still worth the price of admission for Wasikowska’s central performance alone.
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Linda O’Brien |
