Jane Eyre, 2011(by Cary Fukunaga)

I’ve been a fan of Jane Eyre ever since I read the story when I was in Junior High.  Her character is so ahead of her time, and I appreciate that quiet spunk lurking underneath her poise.  So I watched the latest Jane Eyre movie, directed by Cary Fukunaga, as soon as it came out on Amazon rental.

I didn’t have high expectation, because the trailer didn’t seem so impressive and earlier review was mixed.  But after I watched this film, I feel that this is the best film I’ve seen this year thus far. I’d say this is my favorite after The English Patient.  One feature that stood out was the cinematography, especially the outdoor scenes with Jane and Rochester.  There was a scene where the two of them are standing by the trees, and I suspect that the photographer used a different lens to film that part, because it had this dreamy, polaroid quality to the screen picture.  And in turn, the couple look like the happiest people on earth.

I love the casting of Mia Wasikowska for Jane, she looked and act the part.  I was first skeptical about Michael Fassbender playing Mr. Rochester.   Mr. Rochester is suppose to be old, and broody.  And based on watching him in Inglorious Basterds, Fassbender doesn’t strike me as that personality.  So why pick a handsome guy like Fassbender to play Rochester? To demonstrate my point, when I talked to Marlana about the Jane Eyre plot, she replied “I read that during high school, didn’t she fall in love with her boss? And he’s REALLY old?!” However, Fassbender’s acting took me by surprise… his portrayal of Rochester captured all the nuance… and the character reminded me of someone I know because he shares similar temperament and charm as Rochester.  My favorite part in the movie is this witty exchange:

Rochester: Here’s fifty.
Jane Eyre: That’s too much!
Rochester: Take your wages, Jane.
Jane Eyre: I cannot.
Rochester: Then I only have ten.
[she takes the money]
Jane Eyre: Now you owe me.
Rochester: Indeed I do. In time. I shall safe guard it here.
[pats coat pocket on his heart where he’s placed the rest of the money]
Rochester: Do you trust me to keep it?
Jane Eyre: Not a wit, sir. But you are not to be trusted at all.

I wouldn’t mind watching this for the second, and third time (just like The English Patient).  There’s a timeless quality about Jane Eyre, as Cary Fukunaga commented that “there was an unwritten law requiring that “Jane Eyre” be remade every five years.” An interesting side note is that Jane Eyre is by far the most filmed classic 19th-century novel, looks like Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett have some serious competitions. : )