My Praise for 2005's Pride and Prejudice

In 2005, Joe Wright made his film debut with Pride and Prejudice, a celebrated 1800s novel by Jane Austen, starring Keira Knightley and earning the actress her first Oscar nomination. The film received a score of 86% on Rotten Tomatoes and an audience score of 89%; thereby, making it a beloved film.

But enough with the facts, with this blog post I will show you and not tell, why this is the best book-to-movie adaptation ever made.

Let’s begin. 

When recommending this movie, my go-to reason is always that it is faithful to the source material. As a Janeite, I have sought solace in the pages of Pride and Prejudice many times, and thus know it intimately well.

So, when I saw the 2005 adaptation of one of my most cherished classical novels, I freaked, because it holds the same kind of magic Jane Austen was so good at wielding; the same kind of magic I keep going back to, and it felt so real to me. All of my favourite scenes in the book were there, and they hold all the same, if not similar, dialogue that made the book so good; as well as made Elizabeth such an amazing character. Even the scenes that weren’t in the book, though few and far between, I adored. Like the fact that Mr. Darcy’s [first] marriage proposal was done in the rain. And the final scene with Mr. Bennet was absolute perfection. Like I said, magic.

Apart from this, Kiera Knightley is the perfect Elizabeth Bennet; she matches the wit and spit-fire energy that Elizabeth was so loved for and transforms the character into such a formidable protagonist on-screen. The scenes I try to replicate are impossible because of the sheer ferocity with how she enunciates. What I love most about Elizabeth is her passion, and Kiera Knightley has got her down pat: the looks, the dancing, the lines, all perfect.

As for the rest of the cast, like Jane, played by Rosamund Pike and Mathew McFayden who plays Mr. Darcy, or Fitzwilliam (I know right?); they were incredible at capturing the heart of their characters. Mr. Darcy’s almost awkward and timid way in regards to Elizabeth; Jane’s hurt and disbelief towards Mr. Bingley’s actions; not to mention her relationship with her sisters.

And the rest of the cast! Oh, Donald Sutherland’s performance as Mr. Bennet; his stern yet fond connection to his daughters and his obvious preference for Elizabeth made my little heart squirm— simply amazing. This is a beautiful cast. 

One of the reasons this film is such a good adaptation is the setting and tone of the movie. It really holds that nostalgic, old-timey sort of vibe that the novel was set in. Where the setting sun casts a burnt orange in the sky that never truly leaks out. This transcendent ghost of an era that I never got to see, and yet somehow can experience because of the beauty of this setting.

Praise for the score and the costumes and the tone and the direction and the cast that make this the best book-to-movie adaptation I’ve ever seen, and I hope you agree with me.

Like I said, magic.

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Linda Deslauriers

Linda is the most “fangirly” person you will likely ever meet. She’s a second-year student in Algonquin College’s Professional Writing program. She enjoys hot chocolate, rainy evenings, literature, and cinema. If looking for her, you will find her on her bed; enthralled in whatever new addiction she’s developed since.

'An American Pickle' review: HBO Max's Seth Rogen flick is a bitter dill

‘An american pickle’ [2020] / HBO MAX

As the world is still in quarantine, HBO Max, home to movies and shows of the HBO network, a while ago, made the choice to release a film [originally set for a theatrical release by Sony Pictures] to their new streaming service. That film is the new comedy starring actor/comedian Seth Rogen.

The movie An American Pickle is based off the 2013 short story Sell Out by Simon Rich (who also wrote this movie). For me, I’ve been able to see the film on Crave (yes people, I’m a proud supporter of cable television), I must say, it’s not to be a fresh batch of pickles for me.

The film begins in 1919 when a man named Hershel (played by Seth Rogen) meets his wife from their shtetl (small town). They shortly get married and are both forced to flee when the Russians invade their land; thereby, finding a new life in New York. Hershel is offered a job inside a pickle factory to help make money for his wife who’s expecting.

On one unfortunate day, he falls into a vat of pickles just as the factory closes and is brined for 100 years. He wakes up in 2019 and finds out he has only one living descendant: his great-grandson Ben (also Rogen), who works as a freelance app developer. Ben helps his questionable great-grandfather discover new worlds of dating, cabs, and seltzer water.

Ben dreams to develop his app Boop Bop, an app that checks ethnics for products by companies, to the public. One unexpected day, Hershel loses his mind over the location of the burial grounds of his deceased wife, which then leads to assault on some undeserved workers. After they get arrested and are released on bail, they begin to clash on each other; Hershel is mad that Ben has beliefs about religion, and Ben is upset that his criminal record has led to investors not interested in his app. What begins is too much to ask: war.

I found the movie was okay, but not great. The performances of Seth Rogen as both main characters is an outstanding performance in his career (Seth adopts an Orthodox Jew-like voice for Hershel). But its turning point is pretty off to what you thought you expected the movie to actually be: a Jewish version of Blast From the Past — but without the romance. Instead, the film heavily relies on Ben wanting ways to sabotage Hershel’s career as a newfound seller of freshly made pickles (one of his loyal customers is played by viral internet star Kalen Allen) but Hershel has many tricks to get back up again and foil his great-grandson’s plans.

The movie itself felt pretty abrupt with its turn, and Hershel becomes too much of an annoyance when he tries to get things his way, even condemning he’ll “do terrible violence”. Whether you enjoy much of Seth Rogen’s work since his Knocked Up times, this movie could be for you; it is—in my opinion—his weakest. But for some of you, it could turn out to be quite a sweet dill.

For those interested, here’s the trailer:

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Richard Renaud

Richard Renaud is a student currently on his second and last year of Professional Writing at Algonquin College. His activities are walking, watching TV and movies, as well as hanging out with family and friends. If you do see him, don’t be afraid to say “Hi”. Unlike the picture, he has [sadly] never been to space.

White Saviourism: No, You Didn't "End" Racism

Photo by Ivan Samkov from Pexels

I remember being in the eighth grade when my French teacher made us watch Freedom Writers for class. I suppose it was his fun little way of teaching us about prejudice and discrimination. Considering school rarely taught this kind of stuff, my young and impressionable brown self thought it was a very well-thought-out film.

It wasn’t until less than a year ago did I learn about White Saviourism, and now my views on Freedom Writers have completely changed. Despite not knowing any better at the time, I feel personally responsible for misinforming my entire class.

For those who don’t know, White Saviourism, also known as White Saviour Industrial Complex, is when a white person aids a non-white person in a self-serving manner. You can tell it’s a white saviour movie if the protagonist is a white person who is selfless, compassionate, and they “don’t see colour, they see people”. The concept of racism alone is shocking to them, and to find out the BIPOC character is dealing with such oppression motivates them to help. The non-white character tends to be either helpless or passive when it comes to the discrimination they face, and it’s the white protagonist that jumps in to save the day. Whether it’s because the black woman can’t go use the “Whites Only” bathroom or the poor Latina student has no role model, the white character throws on a cape and plays the hero. The racists in the film are so in-your-face to the point they’re inaccurately portrayed. Finally, the movie usually ends with the white “hero” ending racism, or, at the very least, making the world a bit of a better place.

The Help is a textbook white saviour movie. Claiming to be based on a true story, the film is about a white woman wanting to write a book about the hardships black maids face during the Civil Rights movement. Finding out her childhood maid faces oppression is what motivates our “hero” to write about these problems in the first place, making the black women in the story appear passive. In reality, black people were more than willing to share their stories back then as well as today. In fact, Ablene Cooper, one of the maids who worked for the author’s family, sued the movie for its “humiliating” portrayal.

This, of course, wasn’t the only movie to disappoint BIPOC. Dr. Don Shirley’s family condemned Green Book’s portrayal of him, as they made him appear estranged to not only his family but black culture as well. At one point in the film, the white hero (a racist white taxi driver) had to tell Shirley that it was Lil’ Richard playing on the radio. This was one of the many times the protagonist would imply that he was invested more in black culture than the queer black composer. “I live on the streets, you sit on a throne. So, yeah, my world is way more blacker than yours!”

In Gran Torino, our protagonist is seen as a hero when he helps out his Asian neighbours. However, at the same time, he himself is unapologetically racist. He does not grow as a person, nor does he realize his words are still harmful despite “defending” the Asian family. Instead, his casual racism is seen as a quirky personality trait, implying that as long as you have good intentions and do the right thing, you can say whatever you want.

These movies tend to reduce the BIPOC characters to their struggles while they give their white “heroes” character development and depth. White directors and white writers tell these stories from the lenses of white people, only to receive awards from other white people. Racism isn’t talked about on a systemic level; white people merely view it as prejudice, a problem they can solve with kindness and unity alone. This is their way of speaking about racism without making themselves uncomfortable.

Racism is not a comfortable subject. If minorities have to experience it, then white people should be able to stop prioritizing their fragility and comfort. Stop patting each other on the back for being a “good ally” when you’ve been dismissing the voices of the people you claim to be helping.

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Shireen Agharazi-Dormani

An artist with strong opinions, a fear of social interactions, and one hell of a sweet tooth. Needs at least 10 hours of sleep and lots of hugs. Handle with care: very sensitive.

Is Batman Really the Hero the World Needs Right Now?

At the head of Hollywood’s nostalgia machine, Batman has steadily appeared and reappeared in pop-culture since its conception by Bob Kane for DC Comics in 1939. Some of this tragic hero’s most popular adaptations have come from Tim Burton, Christopher Nolan, and Zack Snyder, all of whom have attempted to create an authentic spin on the character.

The most recent adaptation is The Batman, created by Matt Reeves, which has recently caught some attention after the trailer was released in August. Many people are wondering: can Robert Pattinson, the man who stopped the hearts of preteen girls playing a sparkly vampire, really compete with his predecessors in the role of Batman and Bruce Wayne? Some people are arguing if Batman even needs a new adaptation.

I’d even argue that perhaps Batman isn’t the hero we need today at all.

Now, I know this is a turbulent topic, especially in the Comic-Book-Nerd community. How could I possibly denote the beloved vigilante who, despite his many recreations, has always represented hope and justice?

But what kind of “justice” is Batman serving?

Batman, or Bruce Wayne, is a billionaire who spends his fortune developing new weapons and tools to fight criminals. The only reason the police view him as a threat is because, quite frankly, he’s stealing all of their thunder.

Anyone with a moderate understanding of class and crime knows that those who are “thieves” and “bandits” are actually just working class, poor and racialized people who lack the basic necessities in life. Instead of distributing some of his wealth back into the community to alleviate the circumstances that lead to crime, Bruce Wayne uses it to violently punish some of Gotham’s most vulnerable people.

Batman didn’t always have billionaire status, and all of its recent adaptations made it kind of an afterthought. It was a story of convenience. Wealth, for Batman, has always been about convenience and power. But isn’t that what wealth is for everyone?

There are no casual billionaires. The term itself has become a dirty word, becoming widely popular in public scrutiny. Something about it reeks.

The fact is that this resentment doesn’t come out of thin air; as the wealthiest people and biggest corporations have gotten richer, most people are just short of making next month’s rent or a few missed paychecks away from a food bank.

This begs to ask: can Batman really be Batman without being filthy rich? I think it depends on the creator. But, I also don’t think it takes a billionaire to find ways to beat up poor and racialized people.

When I think of the kinds of heroes we need right now, I don’t think of a neo-liberal billionaire/vigilante. I don’t think of Elon Musk, whose arrogance is arguably inspired by the likes of Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne. I think of someone who is brave enough to strip themselves of their own ego and thinks of themselves as part of their community - not a technologically-clad hero that needs to “save” it.

That being said, Matt Reeves is pretty tight-lipped about The Batman, and we have no idea how his twist on the character will compare to the predecessors. Perhaps Bruce Wayne’s only superpower - his wealth- will be explored in ways it hasn’t before. I guess we’ll just wait and see.

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Alannah Link

Alannah is a writer who’s vivid self-awareness often veers into self-consciousness. She can be found either watching the latest A24 flick, spending too much money at the local bookstore, or curating a thematic Spotify playlist.

Blog: TheCrookedFriend

On the Reel

Reel Reviews by Reel People

This blog aims to create content for all those movie nerds out there. From controversial pieces to Top 10s, to unwanted opinions, On the Reel’s got you covered. Sometimes, it’s nice to know you’re not the only one who cares about faithful adaptations.