Everyone that I’ve talked to about this movie swoons over it but I find it so frustrating. I feel like it represents a very polarized reading of the novel, it flattens out all of the super interesting complexities of the characters and their relationships with each other, and it’s weirdly focused on Keira Knightley’s collar bones (critiquing the male gaze here, not Keira Knightley’s bones. I don’t understand why they took out all of the comedy (especially surrounding Mr. Bennet’s character) and Austen’s classic subtle satire; it made the adaptation pretty boring to me. People seem to love this movie so much that I usually keep this opinion to myself but I gotta know if anyone else out there also thinks this movie sucks.

I’m open to other opinions and I want to understand why people love it so much! If you’re a fan, tell me what you like about it.

First off I thought the movie looked great and was acted really well.

I still don't understand what Mr. Darcy's personality is supposed to be. He seems to just be an asshole and then tries to make up for it in the end. I don't know who he is and what Elizabeth sees in him. Is she supposed to like him because he does nice things and likes her in spite of her being poor?. What separates Darcy from Collins?.

Is Elizabeth a manic pixie dream girl?.

I don't think the actor is conventionally that attractive (am I wrong?) and is that intentional?. Doesn't help that I watched Succession first.

Is there more nuance I'm missing and does the book help with this?. Is the Colin Firth tv series better at exploring the character?.

First reason for my dislike of this movie (Kiera Knightly as Elizabeth Bennet) aside, this scene just bugs me to no end. Mr. Bingley coming into Jane’s room while she’s sick and in bed in her nightgown: Never. Happened. AND never. Would’ve. Happened. It’s so inappropriate for the time! A gentleman never would’ve presumed to enter the bedroom of a lady unless he was married to her. And to come in while she’s improperly dressed would be downright scandalous.

Also, if I were Jane and the guy I was crushing on came into my bedroom before I could dress myself and fix my hair/face up a bit, I would’ve been mortified. To be sick on top of that— f I felt bad enough, I wouldn’t want to see him (or him to see me) at all. Dumb scene. They tried to make him look cute in this scene, stumbling over his words, but it really just made him look inconsiderate and rather stupid.

Rant over

Curious which version of Pride & Prejudice everyone prefers, and why?

Go!

Edit: for me it's the 2005 version, probably because I saw it first and just fell in love with the visuals, atmosphere, music, and Mr Darcy. I have seen the 1995 version once and got super into it towards the second half of it, but the 2005 will forever be magical to me. I've watched nothing else as much as I've watched that film!