The Student News Site of Foothill Technology High School

The Foothill Dragon Press

The Student News Site of Foothill Technology High School

The Foothill Dragon Press

The Student News Site of Foothill Technology High School

The Foothill Dragon Press

Follow Us On Instagram!

Movie Review: All “Eyre,” no substance

The+movie+Jane+Eyre%2C+based+on+the+book+by+Charlotte+Bronte%2C+was+released+on+March+11%2C+2011.+Credit%3A+Focus+Features.
The movie Jane Eyre, based on the book by Charlotte Bronte, was released on March 11, 2011. Credit: Focus Features.
Films have the ability to stretch the mind thousands of miles from home, yet at the same time they’re able to reel in alien notions and transform them into concepts that become entirely comprehensible. And with the most recent film adaptation of Charlotte Bronte’s classic Victorian-era novel, “Jane Eyre,” most of the aforementioned notions about great cinema seem to have been left by the wayside.
Imagine sitting down for two hours and leaving the theatre feeling as if nothing really happened the entire time. This criticism comes not from the story itself, but from how the director, Cary Fukunaga (best known for his 2009 film Sin Nombre) conveys the action onscreen. Fukunaga allows the story to manifest itself in a boring and plodding manner that feels both entirely predictable and cyclical at the same time.
It’s not the simplicity of the story that hampers the film; it’s how it’s presented to the viewer. The action that takes place fails to draw one in, and creates no real sentiment or interest in either the plot or the characters.
Despite an excellent cast, and respectable performances all-around, most notably on the part of Mia Wasikowska (as Jane Eyre) and Michael Fassbender (as Rochester), the film never really comes alive enough to pique any real interest. The emotion is certainly there, but somehow the intrigue is strangely missing.
The relationship between Jane and her husband-to-be, Rochester, feels sincere enough, and comes across as somewhat believable (especially when you consider the time period), but cheesy dialogue and a boatload of over-the-top melodrama make parts of the film laughable. The line between cinema and soap opera often becomes blurred.
Despite these shortcomings, the attention to detail in every other aspect of the film is actually quite incredible. The costumes, locations, and cinematography (done by Adriano Goldman) all join together to create a sense of time and place that feels just right, given the story and subject matter. The gorgeous Victorian dresses are exquisite to say the least. The majestic, endless landscapes of England circa 1840 conveys an air of mystery, under which dark secrets are most certainly hidden.
These elements, combined with wide, intricately detailed, shots manage to salvage the film to some extent. However, there’s no getting past the meandering, almost aimless, story that unfolds over what becomes a test of patience during the course of two hours (which might as well be a century).
If for nothing more, “Jane Eyre” is a worthy rental simply for its design sans plot; but to actually pay $10 to leave yourself wishing you’d done something else with your spare time is reason enough to give this film a confident thumbs down. Jane Eyre, in a word, feels entirely too airy to be given the time of day.
What do you think?
Leave a Comment
More to Discover

Comments (0)

Comments on articles are screened and those determined by editors to be crude, overly mean-spirited or that serve primarily as personal attacks will not be approved. The Editorial Review Board, made up of 11 student editors and a faculty adviser, make decisions on content.
All The Foothill Dragon Press Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Activate Search
The Student News Site of Foothill Technology High School
Movie Review: All “Eyre,” no substance