Jane Eyre

Name: Jane Eyre
Genre: Drama, Romance
Released: March 11, 2011
Duration: 115 min
Rating: 76
Cast: Jamie Bell, Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender

2011

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 35 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 117 Ratings

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7.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 117 Ratings

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Jane Eyre

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Movie Details & Credits

Focus Features | Release Date: March 11, 2011 | PG-13

Starring: Jamie Bell, Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender

Summary: Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender star in the romantic drama based on Charlotte Brontë's classic novel, from acclaimed director Cary Fukunaga. In the story, Jane Eyre flees Thornfield House, where she works as a governess for wealthy Edward Rochester. As she reflects upon the people and emotions that have defined her, it is clear thatMia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender star in the romantic drama based on Charlotte Brontë's classic novel, from acclaimed director Cary Fukunaga. In the story, Jane Eyre flees Thornfield House, where she works as a governess for wealthy Edward Rochester. As she reflects upon the people and emotions that have defined her, it is clear that the isolated and imposing residence – and Mr. Rochester's coldness – have sorely tested the young woman's resilience, forged years earlier when she was orphaned. She must now act decisively to secure her own future and come to terms with the past that haunts her – and the terrible secret that Mr. Rochester is hiding and that she has uncovered. (Focus Features)

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Director: Cary Fukunaga

Genre(s): Drama, Romance

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 115 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Andrew O'Hehir

Mar 11, 2011

Jane Eyre is a passionate, impossible love story, one of the most romantic ever told. But it's also a cold, wild story about destruction, madness and loss, and this movie captures its divided spirit like none before. Read full review

Karina Longworth

Mar 8, 2011

Fukunaga has made his Jane Eyre an intimate, thoughtful epic, anchored by strong lead performances and the gorgeous, moody 100-shades-of-gray cinematography of Adriano Goldman. Read full review

J.R. Jones

Mar 17, 2011

The new version of Jane Eyre is far and away the best I've seen, thanks largely to the skilled young actress Mia Wasikowska. Read full review

Lou Lumenick

Mar 11, 2011

After 160 years, this is a story that still grips the heart and the mind. Read full review

Carrie Rickey

Mar 24, 2011

A seven-word review: Very good performances. Much too much weather. Read full review

Boxoffice Magazine John P. McCarthy

Mar 10, 2011

Cary Joji Fukunaga's romantic thriller Jane Eyre is to 19th-century literature what "Black Swan" is to ballet: a thoroughly cinematic, occasionally exhilarating reimagining of a repertoire standard. Read full review

Mick LaSalle

Mar 17, 2011

This latest adaptation of the Charlotte Brontë novel is careful, respectful and even enjoyable, and yet dry, singularly humorless and played without the lavishness of spirit that makes sense of Gothic melodrama. Read full review

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User Reviews

RyanGee

Mar 18, 2011

From the introductory sequences of director Cary Fukunga's Jane Eyre, it is obvious that the adaptation would lead towards emphasizing the Gothic elements of Charlotte Brontes original novel. The film opens, the audience sees 18-year old Jane Eyre running into the country in a directionlessFrom the introductory sequences of director Cary Fukunga's Jane Eyre, it is obvious that the adaptation would lead towards emphasizing the Gothic elements of Charlotte Brontes original novel. The film opens, the audience sees 18-year old Jane Eyre running into the country in a directionless path. While context is absent within the opening segment, this so-far meaningless fragment of the film is devastating. The striking cinematographic images and the poignant score within this scene quintessentially evokes a modest subtlety of sorrow. With this subtlety the director forms an expansion of this subtlety throughout the film, creating an adaptation that is undoubtedly haunting and a true representation of Brontes original vision. This film based on the novel of the same name is a coming-of-age story of orphan Jane Eyre (Mia Wasikowska). The film first tells its story by alternating between memories of the protagonists dreadful experiences at her charter school, and her present-day growth into an independent and expressive woman. After the background of the character is established, the film primarily focuses on Jane Eyre, and her romantic relationship with her employer, the Byronic character of Edward Rochester (Michael Fassbender). Much of the novelâ… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

Jeramyd69

Jun 24, 2012

Forget all of the negativity and criticism of this film and get your copy now! This passionate and beautiful telling of the Brontee novel is the absolute BEST adaption you will ever see by far. The believabilty of each and every character provides the audience with a connection andForget all of the negativity and criticism of this film and get your copy now! This passionate and beautiful telling of the Brontee novel is the absolute BEST adaption you will ever see by far. The believabilty of each and every character provides the audience with a connection and investment with everyone and everything in the story. The visual beauty is one of the most effective aspects of this film. Never does it become stale or boring. One feels almost apart of everything that is occurring. This is also achieved by the rich cinematography done in this film. Choosing to not display the film from Jane's eyes or her 1st person perspective, allow the audience to take the journey WITH Jane Eyre and not AS her, which highly more effective.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Miyuki

Aug 17, 2014

Clean and bleak but beautiful visuals along with strong emotional centre make "Jane Eyre" a good movie to watch. Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender are able to bring sophisticated and believable feelings into the relationship they are portraying and that is something rare for a film aboutClean and bleak but beautiful visuals along with strong emotional centre make "Jane Eyre" a good movie to watch. Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender are able to bring sophisticated and believable feelings into the relationship they are portraying and that is something rare for a film about 19th-century-feminism-romance-drama.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

POV

Apr 12, 2011

I think Fukunaga really managed to make a visceral film on a tandem far different from Welles' dark, b&w thrilleresque interpretation of the tragic and the romance. I loved the pastel dominance of the cinematography. If I have to pick let-downs, one is that it does not show extreme depth ofI think Fukunaga really managed to make a visceral film on a tandem far different from Welles' dark, b&w thrilleresque interpretation of the tragic and the romance. I loved the pastel dominance of the cinematography. If I have to pick let-downs, one is that it does not show extreme depth of character in anyone other than Jane ( We wanna see more of Mr. Rochester's complexity!). Otherwise, it is the perfectly slow-paced movie to watch for a shiver, just enough Hollywood cheesiness and just as much as I can handle. A film for the time you want to be a hopeless romantic, if only for 120 minutes.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

jimmytancredi

Dec 22, 2011

This new adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's classic has its magnitude from the present work to the coeval public which has no access to literature or to the elder version.

As expected, the film has a commanding art direction by Will Hughes- Jones, which is quite lower in scale to otherThis new adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's classic has its magnitude from the present work to the coeval public which has no access to literature or to the elder version.

As expected, the film has a commanding art direction by Will Hughes- Jones, which is quite lower in scale to other classics of the time, but is of equal quality in the costume, and in the choice of locations in the rejuvenation of the period in which women were simply props from their husbands, unable to participate in decisions and cursed to see the horizon of its narrow windows.

There are not many mysteries: Jane Eyre (Mia Wasikowska) is a young woman who, humiliated by her aunt and sent to a strict school, became the governess of the of Mr. Rochester's daughter (Michael Fassbender). Eventually the tormented boy is enchanted with the conviction of the girl and her presence as well as direct and clever in the way that she answers him.

So, Mia Wasikowska, who is an actress I do like, considering a little flat and not charismatic, precisely just because she can revive the coldness and austerity of a woman who hopes to achieve big dreams in life. Michael Fassbender, confirming the upward curve in his career, has an extraordinary performance as the tormented Rochester, stuck with a secret past that does not allow love.

Plus the steady direction which Cary Fukunaga mixes the superstitions of the time and turns the large estate of Rochester in a place almost in awe. What never ceases to be.

In short: it's a renowned literature told with the degree of wealth enough to be absorbed by the public, but no big mystery or innovations.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JamesL

Apr 6, 2011

Well done but really boring. That's all I can say. These English period pieces send me to the bath room and the concessin stand to escape. I knew what I was getting long before I arrived.

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

ypomoni

Jul 5, 2013

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've seen many film and TV adaptions of the book, but this has got to be one of the worst. It's clinical no emotion whatsoever, especially from Mia Wasikowska. Her portrayal of Jane Eyre is that of a woman who, traumatised by her past experiences, can only go through the motions of everyday life expressionless and do what is told of her. It makes it all the more unbelievable that Rochester (Michael Fassbender) would say he has fallen in love with her because she is "fresh" (young, yes, but stale as 3 week old bread), and able to "regenerate" him (what on earth did he base this assumption on? The fact that he had not seen her smile once?). More scenes seemed equally ridiculous because of this, such as the fact that St John Rivers (Jamie Bell) would call her ambitious (again, what did he base this assumption on? Her lively conversations about her big dreams?). Because it is filmed out of sequence, with a series of flashbacks (whose bright idea was this?) for someone who has no prior knowledge of the book it would seem she acts exactly the same around these two main male characters in her life, again making it hard to guess not why, but actually when did she fall for one and not the other!
As for the rest of the cast, I cannot say they did much better -with the exception of Judi Dench as Mrs. Fairfax leading me to believe this sterile atmosphere was intentional. Even Fassy seemed to be struggling with his portrayal of Mr. Rocherster, which came across as cranky, and not in that there-must-be-something-else kinda way. Overall, a disappointment.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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60	#60 Best Movie of 2011
93	#93 Most Shared Movie of 2011