Love & Friendship

Finally. A period piece that isn't boring as hell.

By Jeff Berg

Although delightfully uneven, and heavy with both dialogue and horse-drawn carriages, period piece Love & Friendship is thoroughly enjoyable and well made. Directed by Whit Stillman (Metropolitan, Damsels in Distress) from the novella Lady Susan by Jane Austen (which was not published until 1871, long after her passing), we follow Lady Susan herself (Kate Beckinsale of Underworld fame), a recent widow in search of new husbands for herself and for her daughter, Frederica, played by Morfydd Clark (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies). We meet Susan as she moves to new quarters with her former brother-in-law, Charles (Thor 2's Justin Edwards) and his quivering wife Catherine (Emma Greenwell, also from Pride and Prejudice and Zombies). Possible candidates for matrimony include the dull but handsome Reginald (Twilight alum Xavier Samuel), another woman's husband named Lord Manwaring (King Arthur's Lochlann O'Mearáin) and the buffoonish Sir James Martin (Tom Bennett), a man who doesn't understand that "Churchill" is one word, not a place called Church Hill. A steady flow of letters, delivered by long-faced but impeccably dressed servants, helps to keep the movie moving, with parts of the text of said letters appearing onscreen at times, like self-mocking subtitles. This works well and adds plenty to the gentle humor that runs throughout the entire film. Lady Susan also has a crisp tongue, which she is not afraid to use on most anyone, including the cads and bounders who try to catch her eye and Chloe Sevigny (Big Love) who plays her best friend, Alice. Suffice it to say that Lady Susan will probably get her way, no matter who or what the obstacle might be. Stillman's casting is terrific, and the film gets extra boosts from costuming and cinematography. Some might find the film too talky, but if one listens intently, the dialogue flows freely and with a certain amount of charm. Love & Friendship offers little of either but hits the mark just for that reason.

Love & Friendship
CCA and Violet Crown,
PG,
92 min.

Santa Fe Reporter

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