Lost in Austen (2008)

You won't be disappointed!

Sadly Over-hyped

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Well! I can see why some Austen fans did not like this mini-series (four episodes), because it totally plays around with the storyline of one of Britain's best-loved books. Although I do love P&P, I did find this series amusing, and thought it was, in the main, cleverly done. Jemima Rooper plays Amanda, who captured that 'fish out of water' feeling very well. Elliot Cowan certainly looked perfect for Darcy, and portrayed Darcy's discomfort and awkwardness in social situations. Morven Christie and Tom Mison played Jane Bennet and Charles Bingley respectively – although in this series, Jane ends up married to the odious Mr Collins (much to Amanda's – and Jane's – horror), and both were very much how I imagined the characters to be. However, the stand-out turns for me were from Alex Kingston, who was brilliant as the fussy, silly Mrs Bennet, and Hugh Bonneville as her long-suffering and infinitely more sensible husband. Both of these brought a lot of humour to the series, with Kingston stealing most of her scenes. Gemma Arterton played Lizzie Bennet, but only appeared in two episodes of the series, and in one of those, her appearance was a brief one. It's a shame, because I could really see her as Lizzie, and did feel that I would have liked to have seen more of her coping in modern day London – which is where she is while Amanda is at the Bennets' house – somehow the lack of Lizzie in London feels like a missed opportunity.Chaos and laughter ensue as Darcy starts to fall for Amanda – as indeed does one other surprising character – and Wickham, far from being the dastardly charmer which he is in Austen's book, actually seems to be quite a lovely guy (helped by a charismatic performance from Tom Riley).I intended to watch one episode per week, but ended up watching the second, third and fourth episodes in one chunk, because I really wanted to see what happened. My only complaint is with the ending of the series. I won't say too much because to do so would be to give away big spoilers, but the final few minutes of the last episode did not turn out the way I either expected or wanted them to. But apart from that, the series was thoroughly entertaining, sweet, and funny. I would suggest that it is better to know the basic storyline of P&P before watching, because comparing what is supposed to happen, with what actually does happen, is part of the fun, but I would still say that it would be enjoyable to anyone who likes a bit of offbeat comedy.

When I started watching these series I was interested and repulsed at the same time by the idea of someone entering the precious world of Pride and Prejudice. Then as I followed Amanda Price throughout the episodes these feelings lingered. Adding a new person to the mix here was exiting but the way she handled it made me cringe half the time. The thing she herself was so afraid of, destroying the story, really made it a painful experience for me as well. But as soon as I adapted myself to the idea and the plot turnings became more interesting (especially the ones at Pemberley and back in the real world) I finally started to have fun watching. Only to be disappointed because the story did not do anything further with these concepts. What we end up with is a twisted up, halfway there ending that neither fulfills Jane Austen purists nor those looking for a stimulating love-story.

All the actors inhabit their parts splendidly and as the novel is so well known, the producer, director, screenwriter & actors have produced a very different comic spoof and slant of JA's classic work.It is especially enjoyable for her many aficionados who have all of her novels and own film adaptations of them on DVD but also possess a sense of humour.I understand from IMDb.com there is to be a 2011 feature film based on "Lost in Austen" which me and my wife will undoubtedly want to see when it is released.It would be logical if this film portrayed Elizabeth coping with life in 2011 Hammersmith and for the viewers to see a mirror image of the plot brought forward to the present day as we only saw Gemma Arteton (Elizabeth) towards the end and briefly in the first episode setting the scene.I have awarded this miniseries 8/10.P.S.I thought Hugh Bonneville as MR B. especially entertaining.

Like so many others walking the earth; I am a Jane Austen fan. And like so many others; I have my favorites; of both the stories themselves, as well as the movies in which our film makers try to capture Ms. Austen's brilliance. And let's be honest, we can get a bit critical when it comes to the works of Ms. Austen; as we fans like to protect her. We are not always kind to the people behind (as well as those who are in front of) of the movie cameras.Well, I had the fortune of stumbling across this 'Lost in Austen' mini-series just last week and I truly enjoyed it. I think the concept is fantastic and fun as we watch how things get altered on the arrival of Ms. Price; and what she has to do in order to get our beloved 'Pride and Prejudice' back on track! Not an easy task. But ahhhh, when it is all said and done, to remain behind, in the arms of Darcy...tell me - who hasn't dreamt of that?! I can only hope that more 'Lost is Austen' programs are in the making and headed our way!