"Austenland"

⭐⭐

The last movie I watched that was inspired by "Pride and Prejudice", but was not "Pride and Prejudice" itself, was "Lost In Austen". I was pleasantly surprised by the way this twist of a movie unfolded. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see how it would all turn out. If you haven't seen "Lost in Austen", I highly recommend it after watching or reading "Pride and Prejudice".

Unfortunately, my experience with "Austenland" was quite different. This is a cheesy romcom, which is based on a book I have not read, that's cheesier than any cheesy Hallmark movie I've seen (and if you've been reading my blog for the past six months, you'll know I watch A LOT of Hallmark movies). This was not a Hallmark-produced movie and I'm glad because I would have been disappointed in my favorite television network.

"Austenland" is a romantic comedy about Jane. Jane is completely obsessed with everything Jane Austen, especially with the character of Mr. Darcy. She decides to spend a ton of her money to visit Austenland, a resort that supposedly captures the full essence of everything Jane Austen. The goal at the end of each guest's stay is to find true love. Jane can only afford the lowest priced package and she apparently gets what she paid for.

The shenanigans at the resort are so over-the-top that I found even the references to "Pride and Prejudice" difficult to enjoy. I think the premise of the movie is intriguing and the setting is eye candy for any regency era fan, but the execution of the story is a mess. Jane is a mostly likeable character throughout the movie, but I can't say the same for her supporting cast. Several of them were downright annoying. 

I started watching this movie many months ago and I never finished until today. (I re-watched it from the beginning.) Now I know why it took me so long. Almost from the very beginning, I wanted to escape from Austenland. 

I came very close to watching this on my birthday and I'm glad I chose the 2005 "Pride and Prejudice", which I had already seen and loved, instead. If you're someone like me who wants to watch every adaptation or twist on "Pride and Prejudice", then "Austenland" is definitely a must-see. It shouldn't be top priority, though.