Pride And Prejudice Review
by Steve Rhodes (Steve DOT Rhodes AT InternetReviews DOT com)May 7th, 2004
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2004 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): * 1/2
When a filmmaker can't find an original story idea, the temptation is to fall back on a classic, say Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice." Director Andrew Black probably thought how wrong could he go with that? With a script that reimagines the story as happening with today's twentysomethings, surely the tale will speak to modern audiences, he must have reasoned.
Well, this ineptly directed and lamely scripted -- by Anne K. Black, Jason Faller and Katherine Swigert -- PRIDE AND PREJUDICE falls as flat on its face as a teenage girl trying on her first pair of high heels. It's a moderately Mormon movie that has just enough church references to place the film in the Mormon movie genre, but it's one of the worst examples of a surprisingly rich and frequently successful group of pictures.
As Elizabeth Bennet, Kam Heskin is the only actor to demonstrate noticeable talent. The other performances range from the passably acceptable to rank amateur. Elizabeth is the author of an unpublished novel about a female mechanical engineer who eventually discovers romance. Her friend Jane (Lucila Solá) sends the novel, without Elizabeth's permission, to a romance novel publisher which specializes in bodice-rippers. Needless to say, the book is summarily rejected and Elizabeth is politely -- everyone is exceedingly polite in this terminally bland production -- upset with Jane's actions.
Books are prominently featured in the story. Passages from Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" are shown before each chapter of movie. All of the young women are currently reading a self-help book called "The Pink Bible." After reading in it that "A virtuous woman never hides her light under a bushel," Mary (Rainy Kerwin) decides to share her nonexistent singing abilities at a large party. She belts out, "My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean," with all the melodiousness of fingers across a blackboard.
Most of the movie plays like a soap opera reject for a Mormon cable channel. Smart viewers will completely reject this movie, no matter how famous its title.
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE runs 1:44. It is rated PG for "mild thematic elements" and would be acceptable for all ages.
The film is playing in limited release now in the United States. In the Silicon Valley, it is showing at the AMC theaters.
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