Pride and Prejudice (2005 film)

I'm finally back in California after more than 6 months, and I've spent the last three weeks... studying!  It was really boring.  But!  I'm done with the exam I was preparing for, and am now on to a different type of reading: that of reading for pleasure.  Apart from spending time with loved ones, I am SO EXCITED to read for fun these next few weeks before I start school again!  While studying, I managed to re-watch the Pride and Prejudice movie twice.  Yes, you read that correctly, twice in three weeks.  Why?  Because I was so tired of studying but needed to keep going, and figured studying with a little background noise was better than not studying at all.  Now that my exam is over, I thought it would be fun to write a post about my thoughts regarding the film.

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Before I provide you with the list, I'll let it be known that the book is still Queen.  However, this is my favorite movie and the one I've re-watched the most times.  I LOVE IT.  But, as is usually the trend, the book is superior to the film.
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Things I like about the movie:

1. The acting.  All of the actors do a great job bringing Austen's characters to life.  I know the majority of P&P fans prefer the BBC miniseries, but I actually like the movie more.  However, I am aware that there are a few biases towards this favoritism; for example, the shorter length of the movie makes it easier to re-watch, and thus fall a little more in love with with each viewing.  I also really didn't like the actress who played Jane Bennet in the miniseries and thought the portrayal of Lydia was a little too annoying.  I actually hated her in the miniseries, and, in my opinion from reading the book, the reader isn't meant to hate Lydia, but rather be annoyed by her foolishness.  The Jane Bennet in the film is much better, as well as the portrayals of Kitty and Lydia.  Elizabeth and Darcy are true to form, as are Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Charlotte, Mr. Collins, Mr. Wickham, and Lady Catherine de Bourgh.  Mr. Bingley is a little stupider than the impression I had formed from the book, but he redeems himself at the end when he finally decides to man up.  
2. What the screenwriters chose to cut out from the book to make the film shorter.  It was done very well.  As someone who has the book memorized, I think the parts they cut out were just details that didn't take away from the overall story.  There have been other book-to-film adaptations that have left me disappointed with how much was cut out, but not this one.  Again, the BBC miniseries is a much more thorough depiction of the story, as miniseries generally are, but I still like the film better.  One character I did miss from the books who wasn't in the film was Mr. Hurst.  His disgusting and stupid nature is a great contrast to Mr. Darcy.  
3. The scenery.  Absolutely wonderful throughout the entire movie.
4. The opening scene.  I love it!  It's so calm and simple: Elizabeth walking back to her home while reading a book.  That scene sums up her personality really well before all the chaos starts.
5. The Bennet family's meals.  I loved how every time they showed them eating, it was just a pile of food on the table, and them enjoying their time together.  I don't know how to explain what it is that I liked about those scenes, mostly because I can't really point to why either, but their meals together were some of my favorite scenes.
6. The scene where Elizabeth is spinning on a tire and it shows the seasons changing.  It's beautiful!

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There are a lot of little details that I love in the movie too.  For example, in the scene where Elizabeth is in the sitting room with Mr. Darcy at a desk writing letters, Mr. Bingley sitting on a sofa across from her, and Ms. Bingley pacing the room trying to flirt with Mr. Darcy, I love the part where Elizabeth snaps her book shut after Mr. Darcy looks in her direction and comments on how his idea of an accomplished woman includes extensive reading.  I can go on and on about little details like that from the movie, but I won't...
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Recommend?  YES!  I love this movie and you should watch it if you already haven't!