Valentine’s Marathon: Pride and Prejudice (2005)

Pride and Prejudice is the second movie in my Valentine’s marathon. I almost thought I wouldn’t get past it.  By the time, I’m writing this review, I have watched it 3 times in a row. Even after this 3rd time, my hands are itching to play it a 4th time…

Director: Joe Wright

Cast: Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfayden, Simon Woods, Rosamund Pike, Donald Sutherland, Judi Dench

I really don’t know if anyone hasn’t heard of Pride and Prejudice even if you haven’t read the book.  In any instance of doubt and to not leave anyone out, I’m going to give you a little plot. We start with seeing the Bennets who have 5 daughters: Jane (Rosamund Pike), Elizabeth (Keira Knightley), Kitty (Carey Mulligan), Mary and Lydia .  Mrs. Bennet (Brenda Blethyn) and Mr. Bennet (Donald Sutherland) are looking out for the future of their daughters. When Mr. Bingley (Simon Woods) arrive in Hertfordshire with his sister, Caroline (Kelly Reilly) and his proud and handsome best friend, Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen), Mrs. Bennet takes this opportunity to introduce her daughters to Mr. Bingley to see if one of them could marry to a better family. Mr. Bingley becomes attracted to their eldest beautiful daughter  Jane during the first public dance.  However, the focus of this movie revolves around Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. The best way to describe this would be as my DVD box description says: “When Elizabeth Bennet meets the handsome Mr. Darcy, she believes he is the last man on earth she could ever marry.  But as their lives become intertwined in an unexpected adventure, she finds herself captivated by the very person she swore to loathe for all eternity.”

I don’t even know how to start this review.  How about by saying that I LOVE this movie.  My love just grew even more.  I think its because its because its the first time I’m seeing this movie again after I’ve seen the novel. It is a different adaptation that focuses a lot on the romances. And frankly, I’m a romantic, and I’ve been especially in that whole romantic mood.

First of all, what is absolutely wonderful about this movie is the cast itself.  I love Keira Knightley and she was amazing in her role of being Elizabeth who slowly accepts as her love grows for a man that she swore to hate for eternity as the love and misunderstanding between them started to fade in and fade out respectively.

Now, I don’t think Matthew Macfadyen is an amazingly handsome man BUT, he is extremely charming as Mr. Darcy.  His lingering glances at Elizabeth and his lost of words and just the passion that he emits from his uncontrollable love for Elizabeth just reaches out and grabbed me.  I hadn’t felt all giddy about romantic movies in forever and watching this, I felt that way every time there was some witty dialogue exchanged between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth or when he would look at her while she was playing the piano or from a distance or just staring at Elizabeth and not exactly knowing the words to start a conversation. An impressive Mr. Darcy is all I have to say.

Aside from that, I love Donald Sutherland as Mr. Bennet because he was hilarious.  And the last scene with him and Elizabeth, for the first time it gave me tears of joy.  Maybe I’m sappy from the stressful week but my goodness, I had tears of joy and if you’ve seen the movie you probably know the last scene between Mr. Bennet and Elizabeth.

Aside from the charismatic cast, I loved the music and the scenery.  For one, the music was some beautiful classical music.  The main theme is called Dawn which I’ve been trying to learn for the last while and I was hoping to be able to eventually post it up with the review but its not perfect yet so maybe another time.  As for the scenery, if England in general, outside of London, looks like that…I’m about to book my next vacation right now.  It was just so captivating and mesmerizing.

This romance drama movie adaptation just grabs you for an epic romantic ride between love and misunderstanding between two people and the loved ones around them.  In the end, I started cheering for them to get together because of all that they’ve gone through.  It turns in a beautiful, sweet love.  Its everything you can ever dream about for the search for the love of your life with an ending that feels amazing and as they say, you can feel that they are “perfectly, and completely, and incandescently happy”.