"Unleashing Mr. Darcy" - SPOILER ALERT

I am happy to say this is the last movie I watched on cable t.v. I will be cutting the cord today and  sticking with just streaming channels and borrowing from the library!

"Unleashing Mr. Darcy" is another very loose adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, so it was an appropriate one to watch since I love everything Pride and Prejudice. It is based on the novel of the same name, which I have not read. I first watched it in February when it came on t.v. then. In a nutshell, it's your typical Hallmark romcom with a loose Pride and Prejudice vibe. It isn't anything spectacular, but because it is based on Pride and Prejudice (and is a clean version, unlike "Bridget Jones' Diary"), I enjoyed it.

Lizzie is a teacher, until she isn't. The movie begins with her teaching in Washington, D.C. at a prestigious private school. My eyes and ears always perk up when there's a connection to the general area in which I live. Unfortunately, Lizzie is wrongfully suspended from her job because of a false accusation by one of the parents. I felt annoyed that she didn't try to fight for her job. She wanted to say goodbye to her students, but just like that, she was out! It seems like it would have been to her advantage (even if for future job opportunities, not just that one) to stand up for herself. But no. She expected to get her job back after they investigated the case against her, but she was eventually terminated. Again, why didn't she stand up and fight this?? Also, why was she not offered the opportunity by the school system to state her case? This is a major flaw in the movie.

On the side, she participates in dog show events with her little pooch. It is at one of these shows she meets the seemingly arrogant Donovan Darcy where he is a judge. They do not exactly hit it off.

Lucky for Lizzie, she is offered a job in another state, where...wait for it...Donovan happens to live! She is offered a place to stay at her aunt's house and Donovan Darcy lives across the street. Her aunt knows this, but she does not tell Lizzie. She just happened to run into him on the street as he was walking his pooch. She's not crazy about this Donovan guy, but she is intrigued by him. The two of them have their ups and downs, which eventually lead to sparks that almost go up in flames. 

Eventually the two of them have their happy ending (it is a Hallmark movie, after all). Lizzie is eventually offered her job back, but she declines. I did feel that she stood up for herself at this point when she declined the position. So there was a bit of character development there. She grew more confident.

There are familiar, though not identical, characters in "Unleashing Mr. Darcy" as in Pride and Prejudice. Mr. Bingley's sister is much like the character in the original story. Mr. Darcy's aunt is also much like the character in Pride and Prejudice. Both have very cold personalities that is almost humorous to watch. Mr. Darcy's sister in "Unleashing Mr. Darcy" is sweet like the original, but she doesn't have a filter when it comes to saying how she feels (though there is no foul language in this movie, which I appreciated). And then there's Jenna. She has a strong connection with Lizzie, much like Jane does in the original. The mom is a scaled down version of the one in Pride and Prejudice.

Some of my favorite scenes in "Pride and Prejudice" are the dancing scenes and there is thankfully one such scene in "Unleashing Mr. Darcy". It has all the signs of a Hallmark movie, but it was tastefully done and is a great tribute to the original (though this is a contemporary movie that takes place in present day, not the 1800's).

In the beginning, the subplot of Lizzie losing her job seemed random, almost like a whole other movie, but it did eventually all come together. It's a fairly short movie (just under 90 minutes), which was perfect. Had it been longer, it would have been too drawn out. Hallmark did this classic story justice in their own Hallmark way. It isn't for everyone, but if you're interested in all things Pride and Prejudice, "Unleashing Mr. Darcy" is a must see.

Click here for my review of the sequel, "Marrying Mr. Darcy".