good back-story, and good acting

As Good As It Gets

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

Six-time married Bernadette (Kathy Baker) meets distressed Prudie (Emily Blunt) and decides to form a Jane Austen book club with six people for the six Austen books. High school French teacher Prudie is eager to go to Paris for the first time with her husband Dean (Marc Blucas) until he cancels on her. She's bitter at him and falls for her student Trey (Kevin Zegers). Another member Sylvia (Amy Brenneman) is devastated when her husband Daniel (Jimmy Smits) leaves her for another woman. Their gay daughter Allegra (Maggie Grace) moves in with her hoping the book club could be a break. Sylvia's lifelong single friend Jocelyn (Maria Bello) is a dog breeder. She meets Grigg (Hugh Dancy) and thinks he could be a great hookup for Sylvia. Secretly, Grigg has a crush on Jocelyn and joins the club to be close to her.These are great actresses portraying relationship fitting of Jane Austen. They make constant references to the books and form connections that remind of them. It is a wonderful take for all level of Austen fans. One doesn't need to read all of the books but a passing knowledge would help appreciate the movie. There is only one scene I can do without. The traffic light reading "What would Jane do" is too gimmicky. I know it was in the trailer but it doesn't fit visually. A long unbroken scene of her not crossing the green light would be much more powerful. This is great Jane Austen without the usual familiar costumed affair.

using the Jane Austen novels, the director does a fascinating web of relationships, emotions and events. pink, soft, amusing, it is the type of movie who experiments a special romanticism in inspired manner. a book club and the shadow of a writer. nothing complicated but useful for the geography of the characters area. delicate feminism, a young man lost in the search of deep senses of books, the plans, the life, the projects and temptations. and not surprising end. it is a good film not only for script or cast but for the science of detail, for the fresh air, for a form of joy and bitter side of happiness. and for a lovely atmosphere. a film for chicks is the first verdict. maybe, in same measure, a film for rediscover/rereading Jane Austen. maybe... . but, more important, a lovely work.

I've never read Jane Austen. Not so far, at least. So, I couldn't draw parallels and recognize all the characters of the novels that frequently interweave in conversations along the film.That didn't prevent it from sucking me in from the first minutes.Jane Austen apart, I think this is a great piece of cinema, for the exquisite acting it displays and the rich script. I've seen a lot of movies. Really, a big lot. And the problem with it is that after a while you sort of start to see the strings behind the curtain, in most of the movies you watch... you can't really get inside the story as easy as you used to before; you notice every little fake acting, error, plot hole, you name it.This was a refreshing exception from that. The acting was so real, pleasant and captivating. The story is catching you from the beginning and doesn't let go; the characters literally grow on you.It had some real life drama, but all sweetened by the warmth of the friendship that shines between all the female leads and the way they managed to always care for each other through the rough moments.And the acting is gripping. The emotional range displayed, astonishing. The quiet looks of Jocelyn when Grigg starts paying attention to Sylvia or when he talks about her in the library say more than a thousand words; the guilty look in Prudie's eyes when she looks across the street meaning to cross over towards the boy she's attracted to, are just a couple samples of perfect expressiveness without words.As opposed to the main bulk of Hollywood movies lately, in which most of the female characters are more or less displayed as tits and ass, this one manages to portray women as the truly marvelous creatures they are; deep, complex beings, strong and fragile, beautiful and insecure at once, a rainbow of emotional paradoxes.Don't get me wrong, I enjoy tits and ass in a film as much as the next guy, but most of the time you can't help feeling that a lot of female characters miss a central piece of their personality puzzle, across a lot of movies. This is one of those films which brings back that missing piece of the puzzle, and it does that with an underlying profound sense of serenity and grace.I say this one is definitely a keeper, in my book. 9/10

Chick flick about five women in California (and one guy) who get together once a month to discuss a Jane Austen book they all read. The events in the books begin to mirror their lives--and offer them solutions. Sylvia's (Amy Brenneman) husband (Jimmy Smits) has just left her. She also has a daughter (Maggie Grace) who is a lesbian and is having troubles with her girlfriend. Jocelyn (Maria Bello) has never had a relationship. She meets cute young Grigg (Hugh Dancy) and tries to hook him up with Sylvia--but Grigg is attracted to her. Prudie (Emily Blunt) has a husband (Marc Blucas) who doesn't understand her--or try to. Bernadette (Kathy Baker) is (sort of0 the head of the group.OK--I HATE Jane Austen's books. I had to read most of them in college and find them far too mannered and slow (except for "Northanger Abbey"). I avoided this when it was up the theatre for that reason. I caught it on cable just last night and, while it was no masterpiece, it actually wasn't too bad. I can't comment on how they mirror Austen's novels--I haven't read her in years (and have no desire to try them again). The stories and resolutions were laughably predictable but it has a good script and a very talented cast that push it through. No one stands out but no one was bad. I was surprised at how easily Dancy and Blunt fake their American accents (although Dancy's slips a few times). Lynn Redgrave appears very briefly in a small pointless role. No great shakes but enjoyable. I found it VERY interesting that when Dancy is in a skin tight biking uniform that the camera makes it a point to travel up (and down) his body! It's not often you see a guy's body objectified in a Hollywood film. I give it an 8.