“Pride & Prejudice” (2005)

Pride & Prejudice

Brief Description:

Sparks fly when spirited Elizabeth Bennet meets single, rich, and proud Mr. Darcy. But Mr. Darcy reluctantly finds himself falling in love with a woman beneath his class. Can each overcome their own pride and prejudice?

(from IMDb)

Date: 2005

Genre: drama historical fiction romance

Running time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Cast: 

Keira Knightley (Lizzy)

Matthew Macfadyen (Mr. Darcy)

Brenda Blethyn (Mrs. Bennet)

Donald Sutherland (Mr. Bennet)

Tom Hollander (Mr. Collins)

Rosamund Pike (Jane)

Carey Mulligan (Kitty)

Jena Malone (Lydia)

Talulah Riley (Mary)

Judi Dench (Lady Catherine de Bourgh)

Simon Woods (Charles Bingley)

Tamzin Merchant (Georgiana Darcy)

Claudie Blakley (Charlotte Lucas)

Kelly Reilly (Caroline Bingley)

Rupert Friend (George Wickham)

Cornelius Booth (Colonel Fitzwilliam)

Penelope Wilton (Mrs. Gardiner)

Peter Wight (Mr. Gardiner)

Meg Wynn Owen (Mrs. Reynolds)

Sinead Matthews (Betsy)

Roy Holder (Mr. Hill)

Director: Joe Wright

Production company: Universal Pictures, StudioCanal, Working Title Films, & Scion Films

Based on: Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen 

Wikipedia page

Watch on Archive

(watched on DVD)

*Note: this all refers to the American version

Setting/Aesthetic/Feel: 5/5

I’ve read Pride & Prejudice, and I love it. I’ve also known this film for a long time. I never watched it, but my mother had the soundtrack, and so of course Keira Knightley was my image for Lizzy and Matthew Macfadyen for Darcy. I was very excited to finally watch this… and I loved it. 

Okay, so setting. First off, I know the Bennetts didn’t live on a farm. That part is inaccurate, I get it. 

But Darcy’s house, y’all.

AND ALL THE NATURE SCENES. 

oh. my. heart.

The setting stole my heart. 

Characters: 5/5

I think everyone was perfect. Except Jane was a bit too stupid. And Bingley was a bit too dumb. And Wickham is definitely not handsome or charismatic enough. But everyone else is literally perfect. 

Plot: 5/5

Okay, so it only did the major book scenes. It felt like a skim/summary of the book. Unsurprising—SO MUCH HAPPENS in the book. I didn’t care, and I loved it. I felt there weren’t too many changed or added scenes. I loved seeing the scenes happen. AND THE MUSIC IS SO GOOOOOOD.

Romance: 5/5

Darcy & Lizzie 4 ever. That’s all. I grinned like a schoolgirl over them. They’re so mushy-gushy sickly-sweet adorable. 

Theme/Message/Topics: 4/5

I love how this portrayed Charlotte. They brought out the pathos in her story very well. Wish they also brought out how practical and wise it was, but I liked the pathos. 

Content: /5 

Low-necked dresses (typically Regency); a short scene shot where Jane is in her undergarments (a very low undergarment); a shot where Bingley seems to grab at Jane’s backside or something??? A scene where Darcy & Lizzie act like they’re gonna kiss, and two scenes where they do kiss (I don’t know how passionate, I didn’t look lol). Finally, a scene in Darcy’s house where they’re looking at statues and paintings and 90% of them are unclothed. It made me very uncomfortable and I barely watched so I don’t know the specifics. 

Overall: 5/5

I know it has inaccuracies. I also know I adore it and it’s one of my favourite movies and I think it got the P&P aesthetic down pat.