
It's Friday and I decided to write about one of my absolute favourite movies: Pride & Prejudice [2005]. If you have not seen it yet, do so. Right this second.
I know there are many people who prefer the BBC miniseries starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle (including my grade 11 English teacher) and who will consider the 2005 version starring Keira Knightley and Matthew McFayden a nice movie but just "not the same". There was a time when I would have agreed with that sentiment but it's been a little while since I have made the 2005 version my personal favourite. Here are a few reasons why:
1. It's not 6 hours
The BBC version is a pretty much a very close adaptation to the book and it should be: it's 6 hours! It's a full miniseries that you would watch over several days. And while it's very good, that is an investment of your time.
The 2005 version is not a miniseries, it's a theatrical release. And while there are details that are missing, you don't miss them. The writers hit all of the major points efficiently and effectively.
2. Matthew McFayden is fantastic
The movie is about Lizzie Bennet (Keira Knightley) and therefore the story is centred around what she's doing. What's Darcy up to? What's he thinking? The writers wrote in these beautiful subtle windows into the mind and heart of Darcy and Matthew McFayden delivered them beautifully. There are so many small details, small looks, that round out Darcy into what he is in this movie: a young man in love.
I think this part takes the cake. I legitimately gasped out loud in the theatre when I saw it.

I don't want to go into details. Just watch the movie. You'll see why it's such an amazing scene.
As I wrote this, I wanted to specify that because this movie is full of details. Because it is "so short" and because there's so much to convey, so much of it is done through small looks and focus points. So much of the emotion and the story is not even spoken. It's genius.
3. It's a youthful movie
This movie is about a set of young people. The cast is actually quite young (or youthful looking) and and I think that gives the movie a different feel. It's such a bright movie and I think the cast contributes to that feeling.

As an aside, Rosamund Pike (Jane Bennet, pictured above) looks EXACTLY like how I pictured Jane. She's so fresh, lovely, and beautiful, a perfect Jane.
4. You will feel a range of emotion
I went with Shoes and a good friend from engineering, Tyra (haha, Shoes went with us... what a guy!). We legitimately stayed seated and cried through the ending credits. Shoes didn't know what to do.
In this movie, you laugh. You cry. You laugh as you cry. What more could you want?
4. It's a beautiful movie
It is legitimately a beautiful movie. The cinematography is gorgeous (see below). The sets are chosen and arranged with care. The costumes are terrific and suit each character. And the music is beautiful (by the way, I walked down the aisle to this song from the movie).

So that's it! That is why Pride & Prejudice [2005] is one of my absolute favourite movies of all time. Do yourself a favour and sit down and watch it!
Another Bridevice coming up tomorrow!
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