Jane Austen’s Hidden Gem

​Love & Friendship is a lush period drama filled with comedic roots from head to toe. It’s one of the freshest films to hit the screen in 2016.  

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​Kate Beckinsale soars in the role of Lady Susan Vernon Martin, a beautiful young widow visiting the estate of her in-laws. While there, Lady Susan is determined to be a matchmaker for her daughter Frederica (Morfydd Clark) -- and herself too, naturally. Quick, sly and witty are only a few attributes that apply to Beckinsale in this runaway film. Austen originally wrote the book in 1794 when she was 20, but it remained unpublished until after her death.

Love & Friendship is a comedic romp for English buffs and fans of British pop culture everywhere. The costume and production design are visually stunning alone. It exceeds moments of pure beauty as it captures your heart on screen. Director Whit Stillman (Damsels in Distress) takes Austen’s clever story and expands it onto film, hitting moments of true bliss. Backing Beckinsale’s charm are actors Chloë Sevigny, Xavier Samuel, Emma Greenwell, Justin Edwards, Stephen Fry and the hilarious Tom Bennett as Sir James Martin.

​Bennett completely stole the show for me as he captures the ignorance of a man blithering away on a multitude of topics. Elegant can’t even begin to describe this delightful outing director Stillman has made for us. Love & Friendship is a comedy of manors on this speechified adventure. I’ll be rooting for it coming this awards season as it’s bound to grab a few prizes. Fingers crossed this isn’t the last time we see Lady Susan on the big screen. In the end, this was an Austen gem uncovered from the very pages of literature. Classic. 

Love & Friendship is rated PG (Parental Guidance) For some thematic elements.