Film vs. Book: Jane Eyre

This actually works out perfectly, because neither Truly Becoming or New Romantic have read Jane Eyre.  (you guys should really talk to them about that - Jane Eyre is mandatory reading! ;)

Okay, trailer first:

I have loved Jane Eyre for a long time, and it enhanced into an obsession after I saw the BBC version of it in 2006.  I would spend the weekend curled up on the couch watching that film and then read the book and then watch the movie and then read the book, and so on.  So when I heard they were doing a remake I was kind of terrified.  And then when I saw that they had cast two people I didn't know as the leads I was even more terrified.  How can you beat Toby and Ruth?  Why bother with a new one?  The 2006 one had my heart!  Little did I know that left in the hands of director Cary Fukunaga this literary masterpiece would turn into a cinematic masterpiece as well. (In my mind)

What I loved about this adaptation:

Michael Fassbender.

Seriously, for me, Michael was the perfect Rochester.  Although I saw, and repeatedly watch the 2006 one with Toby Stephens and Ruth Wilson, I always felt like Toby was a little too - nice?  In the book Rochester is a mean son of a gun, but Toby's Rochester said everything out of humor to Jane.  When I read the book I am always distinctly afraid of Rochester, he's like literature's first bad boy that your incredibly attracted to, but he's a little bit of a loose cannon so maybe your afraid too.  Anyways, Michael Fassbender, you have my heart (as Rochester - not in real life) especially at the end, with the beard and the tears...ahhh swoon.

The language:

I was afraid because this was a modern interpretation (and not produced by the BBC) that it would loose the language that is so uniquely Jane but it didn't!  I was so pleased to hear some of my favorite lines from the book spoken in the film. Mia Wasikowska was an incredible Jane.  Loved her so much.

The cinematography, the pacing, I could go on and on....

Oh my gosh, this is EXACTLY how I imagined Jane, kind of desolate and yet utterly beautiful at the same time.  The pacing and the script of this film were also incredible.  I did notice a LOT of similarities with the 2006 version (which I also loved) but somehow this one seemed a little bit more haunting to me.  There was hardly every anything truly lit up in this version of the film, which I felt like really enhanced the Gothic overtones of the novel.  Gothic style books usually have elements of the creepster style vibe, and the lighting and set, along with the lovely lovely music (you can buy the score here, I recommend it) makes this one of my favorite Jane Eyre adaptations.  (Although the 2006 is the closest second ever!)

So there you have it.  If you love Jane Eyre, and you love movies, I recommend this one.  

I mean seriously, who doesn't want to stare at Michael Fassbender for two hours?

I love the British Poster! Gorgeous!