There is a subtle beauty to the latest adaptation of “Jane Eyre.” The cinematography is full of color and light, but often it is somewhat washed out to the point of Gothic bleakness. Cary Joji Fukunaga’s film, like Charlotte Bronte’s novel or the eponymous character herself, can be plain, tragic, haunting and lovely all at once.
“Jane Eyre” is a familiar story, a classic of Victorian Era literature and adapted numerous times dating as far back as 1943 with Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine, but this new version is strikingly original. It hits all the right notes of cinematic style, acting poise and elegiac melodrama, and it stands out as one of the first great movies of 2011.
The screenplay by Moira Buffini jumbles Jane’s narrative a bit. We open with Jane (Mia Wasikowska) crying as she storms out of a castle into the rain. Lost, she finds refuge with a minister (Jamie Bell) who offers her a job and a home. It’s an interesting way to begin the story, starting right off with what becomes a theme of the film, that this “small and plain” cottage is the first place where she is not dependent or subordinate to anyone.
But the attractive thing about Jane’s character is that despite these limitations, she is strong, forthright and confident. Wasikowska, a young and up-and-coming actress, has shown some of these same traits in “Alice and Wonderland” and as the independent daughter of two lesbians in “The Kids Are All Right.” Jane is the focus of the film and Wasikowska makes for a terrific lead. Her expression of Jane’s traits is evident of what has made Jane such an enduring literary figure.
Her childhood is fraught with rejection, both from her adoptive mother (Sally Hawkins) and her vicious religious boarding school, but she grows into the slightly tormented but capable governess of Thornfield Hall owned by Edward Rochester (Michael Fassbender).
Rochester is a remarkably complex character, and Fassbender commands every moment he’s onscreen, but never does he go overboard in fury, cynicism or obsession. He’s perfectly convincing and allows for the powerful romance that will form between him and Jane.
Fukunaga directs all of this with flair and quiet tact. Unlike Jane, “Jane Eyre” is not merely “poor and obscure,” skillfully melding a Dickensian period charm, a melodramatic romance and a strangely eerie Victorian ghost story. The cinematography is lush and the score is rightfully evocative.
And yet Fukunaga seems like an odd choice for this material. His debut film, “Sin Nombre,” about Mexican immigrants riding the rails to get into America illegally, is nothing like this one. While he is certainly not completely detached from the film, he does step back and allow his performers to shine.
Still, his contribution is what makes this film so successful in comparison to other adaptations. It’s a strong example of how to do a classic right.
4 stars