The Jane Austen Collection (DVD)

Advantages: It's a reasonable chick flick.
Disadvantages: It's very predictable.

...When Sylvia's husband leaves her for another woman her friends rally round and start a book club to take her mind off her troubles. None of them are lucky in love. Jocelyn has decided she doesn't need love and fills the void with breeding dogs. Prudie is a high school French teacher ignored by her husband and tempted to have an affair with a student. Bernadette has been through several marriages and has decided she's entitled to be eccentric. Sylvia's lesbian daughter Allegra is having problems with her lover and Grigg, the only male member of the group is pining after one of the women but is unable to articulate his love. As the book club reads through the work of Jane Austen, they find themselves drawing ever closer parallels between their lives and the stories. Writer-director Robin Swicord knows her audience. She sticks to tried... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Insightful, entertaining, beautifully acted.
Disadvantages: None.

...teacher who is battling an attraction to one of her students while her marriage slowly falls apart, and Grigg, a science fiction enthusiast who is attracted to Jocelyn and accepts to join the club in order to get to know her better. Unfortunately for Grigg, Jocelyn recruited him into the club in an attempt to hook him up with Sylvia, who, incidentally, is still in love with her ex-husband. Deciding that the club will be concentrating their efforts on Jane Austen's classic novels, the group meet up once a month in order to discuss one of the novels. During these discussions, the comments of the members begin to reveal their true natures, and friendships solidify and spill out into the 'real' world - a world devoid of Jane Austen. In between the book club meetings, life goes on as usual with Sylvia's ex husband constantly popping in to... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: good film and choice of characters
Disadvantages: n/a

...It's safe to say that I'm far more interested in Jane Austens life than her written works which is possibly why I've become quite attatched to this film. It was shown on the telly the other day and despite the fact that I do have the DVD I had already circled it in the Evening Post TV listings. Just in case anybody in our house had any queries as to what we would be watching that night. The film is about a young Jane Austen, the youngest daughter of her family she is expected to marry a wealthy gentleman who has offered his hand. The money she'd inherit could easily sweep away the chance of looming poverty which is hanging around like a bad smell. The problem as always is the obvious thing. She doesn't love him and what makes things more complicated is when a headstrong lawyer turns up. Sent deep into the countryside by his uncle... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful