Such a frustrating disappointment

One of my all time favorites.

best movie i've ever seen.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

This is an amazing series: the perfect casting, the acting,the music, the script! I love it all

If this is the first film adaption of one of Jane Austin's books that you have watched you will find it really enjoyable. As someone who has seen Tom Wright's 'Pride and Prejudice' and Ang Lee's 'Sense and Sensibility', I was really disappointed to see that this version had blatantly and lazily ripped off cinematography from both. To make it worse, they did a far worse job of it. It was like eating off-brand Doritos; you really want to enjoy it but it's just reminding you of something that's far better.If this is the first film adaption of one of Jane Austin's books that you have watched you will find it really enjoyable. As someone who has seen Tom Wright's 'Pride and Prejudice' and Ang Lee's 'Sense and Sensibility', I was really disappointed to see that this version had blatantly and lazily ripped off cinematography from both. To make it worse, they did a far worse job of it. It was like eating off-brand Doritos; you really want to enjoy it but it's just reminding you of something that's far better.

This television dramatisation was broadcast in three one hour episodes on BBC1 between Tuesday 1st January 2008 and Sunday 13th January 2008. In the interview featurette on this DVD, Andrew Davies explained that he wanted to avoid this television serial being a longer version of the film and so he attempted to give this adaptation a fresh slant. Therefore, he dramatised a number of scenes that are referred to in the novel, but are not directly described by Jane Austen. So, at the start of the first episode we have Mr Willoughby's seduction of Miss Williams, in the second part we are shown Marianne's visit to Allenham with Mr Willoughby, and in episode three, there is Colonel Brandon's scene with Miss Williams and her new born baby. Furthermore, in the same interview Ann Pivcevic, the producer, stated that the production team had deliberately sought out a young cast for the major roles in order to reflect the age of the characters in the book. Elinor Dashwood, for instance, is only nineteen years old. Consequently, a couple of relative newcomers were cast in the two central roles, but fortunately both Hattie Morahan (Elinor) and Charity Wakefield (Marianne) gave excellent performances as the two Dashwood sisters, and they were ably supported by the likes of Janet McTeer as Mrs Dashwood, Dan Stevens as Edward Ferrars and David Morrissey as Colonel Brandon. Interestingly, Marianne becomes engaged to Colonel Brandon before Elinor is betrothed to Edward Ferrars in this adaptation, whereas in the novel, Marianne does not become engaged until after Edward and Elinor are married.The DVD includes a picture gallery. Another bonus feature is an interview, which last approximately half an hour, in which Ann Pivcevic, the producer, and Andrew Davies, the screenwriter, talk about the making of the television series. This short film is interspersed with clips from the TV dramatisation chosen to illustrate a number of the points made in the interview. The DVD also includes an audio commentary recorded by Ann Pivcevic, the producer, John Alexander, the director, Hattie Morahan, who plays Elinor, and Dan Stevens, who plays Edward. Charity Wakefield (Marianne) and Dominic Cooper (Willoughby) also take part in the commentary for Episode 2. The commentary was recorded with them together as a group, and they clearly got on well because it is very chatty and good humoured.

Truth is, my wife is (was) the family's one Jane Austen addict so I had zero inkling up-front of the two truly extraordinary story arcs. To say that this production is one wild, nail-biting roller-coaster ride is putting it pretty mildly.To follow Hattie Morahan's warm, kind, brave and hypnotically beautiful Elinor through to her dismal and heart-breaking dead-end in life, via a seeming never-ending series of emotional whacks... that's story-telling of the most profoundest kind.And then into that truly stunning few moments where eyes are absolutely GLUED to Elinor's quivering back... that's movie-making beyond awesome.I've dutifully watched the movie version too now. These REALLY go well together. The movie is intensely beautiful to look at and has great crowd scenes. Highly worth watching for the alternative take on the Marianne story; I liked it without necessarily preferring it. Each version has some dialog that greatly helps understand points in the other.No review I've read yet has mentioned the great voice-over commentary on the DVD. Director, producer and four leads. Nice happy family that one is. Hattie Morahan is self-effacing almost to the point of invisibility, but she has a truly great laugh we hear often. Remarks by "Edward" and "Marianne" and "Willoughby" are warm, funny and at times really insightful, and leave one liking each of them a lot.Plus we hear just how the director and producer arrived at many of their outcomes, adjusted things post-production, set up the scenes in the many houses and the studios, struggled for continuity, and came up with that proposal scene - told in that self-effacing and often funny British way, but they're true talents.And Janeites, please get this: the team makes it increasingly clear that there are several hours of unused scenes still in the can. They are not offered here on this DVD. So, a 4-or-5-hour director's-cut version? Okay. You know what to do...