Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga
Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Jamie Bell, Judi Dench
Running time: 120 minutes
Cerfificate: 12
Taken from the book, originally written by Charlotte Bronte, the film’s protagonist and title character, Jane Eyre, is sent away to boarding school after her parents die of typhus. After six years of studying and becoming a tutor, she is hired by the house of Mr Rochester, to be the governess to Rochester’s ward. Odd things start to happen at the house and after a fire, a death and Rochester’s proposal to Jane, she learns his secrets. After leaving the house and being haunted by visions of the man she loves, Jane realizes she must return to him, whether he’s dead of alive…
The film starts quite calmly and slowly with long, sweeping shots of Jane (Wasikowska) running across a barren countryside landscape. But after we see her being abused – physically and emotionally – we know that director Fukunaga is taking the book very seriously.
Wasikowska plays a very quiet and feeble Jane, hired to be the governess to a small French girl who is living at the stately home of Mr Rochester. Cared for under the eye of Mrs Fairfax (Dench), Jane becomes quite happy living at the house, staying out of the way and admiring the estate. However, she eventually comes into contact with Mr. Rochester (Fassbender), who admires her wit and smarts and quickly falls in love with her.
One night, a fire starts in Rochester’s room and Jane puts it out, leading to her sneaking around the house, trying to discover why the other odd occurrences are happening. Despite all of this, the besotted Rochester proposes to Jane, who accepts. However, just as they exchange ‘I dos’, it is revealed that Rochester cannot marry, as he already is. Cut to the mysterious attic being searched…
As we’d expect, Jane is devastated and runs away. This is Fukunaga’s cue to use more shots of the rain-lashed, dark landscape of the English countryside, showing just how lonely Miss Eyre is.
Obviously, if you’ve read the book or seen the other adaptations of it (there are 13 of them, in different forms) you’ll know the ending, which I won’t expose here. However, one of the more positive aspects of the film is the set design and locations spotted; cinematographer Adriano Goldman certainly used his skills to show just how alone Eyre is at times.
Running at two-hours long, the film can drag in places and can be a little bland. Fukanaga tends to use flashbacks to show the past and as we skip backwards and forwards, it can get a little confusing. However, for a period drama it’s quite enjoyable and I could see how Bronte’s ending has influenced many a love story since its publishing.
Extras: Feature commentary, The Mysterious Light of Jane Eyre feature, To Score Jane Eyre feature, deleted scenes, A Look Inside Jane Eyre feature.
JANE EYRE is available on DVD and Blu-ray 12th March
