Love & Friendship
dir. Whit Stillman
It is a true rarity that a period comedy piece comes along that is not just faithful to the storytelling and relevancy of Jane Austen but also make the characters and situations relatable to todays audiences. The last time I remember seeing anything like this was when I revisited Kenneth Branagh's 1993 adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" after I had seen Joss Whedon's half-hearted hipster version.
Based on a work of Austen's entitled "Lady Susan", The story revolves around a widowed woman who goes to live with her in-laws while she searches for another, preferably wealthy, husband. Kate Beckinsale gives a deviously snarky and hilarious performance as the central character who is deliciously selfish in finding herself another man to live off of. I don't think that we're particularly supposed to side with her on her endeavors especially since she uses everyone around her including her own daughter who she wishes to give away and marry to a dim and unintelligent man for wealth alone. But, despite this, we go along with her and laugh with her when she makes a snarky observation about love and relationships.
The supporting performances are also stellar especially Chloë Sevigny who plays Susan's "BFF", Alicia. She shares the same snarky wit and views that Susan has and aids her in what could only be described as "love espionage". I found the other aspects of the film to be excellent as well such as the beautiful set and production design and the soundtrack which is one of the best film soundtracks composed of classical music that I have ever heard. It ranks up there with the likes of Stanley Kubrick's "Barry Lyndon" and Milos Forman's "Amadeus".
In a summer full of sequels, superheroes and blockbusters, this one is a standout that deserves to be seen. It is an delightful film full of wit and charm. If you need a break from all the explosions and action seen in other films, go see this one. You won't be disappointed.
Rating: 5 Reels
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